The Minneapolis Bridge

I know you were as riveted as I was to the live television coverage of the Minneapolis bridge collapse. Unbelievable how such a symbol of strength on which we depend every day without a thought of concern for our personal safety could collapse so completely under the duress of flaws virtually invisible to the eye. It’s like the broad shoulders of commerce broke as we ride on them like a child on their daddy’s back. A kid can’t imagine those shoulders would ever be unable to carry us. Yet, the total collapse of a bridge.

How should we respond? Similarly to how we’ve done so in other recent catastrophes. First, we call to check on the whereabouts and safety of those we know and love. In the Minneapolis situation, we have talked with our state executive, Gayle Kvenvold, and other member colleagues and determined that as I’m writing, we know of no member losses of residents or employees connected to those close to us. Some of you have asked if there’s anything we can do for anyone affected. Besides praying for all concerned – known and unknown to us – there is no physical need we as the AAHSA family can meet right now. If needs arise, we will pass them on to you… But remember, prayer is always the least AND the most any of us can do for anybody. So, pray for comfort, safety and recovery.

Secondly, we can learn from the response of the city of Minneapolis’ emergency systems. The people and plans were immediate, effective and smooth. Every community should be as well prepared and rehearsed. A community leader interviewed said that emergency preparedness planning and drills paid off. Lessons learned for cities, facilities and families. As much as we all view fires and emergency preparations as a pain-in-the-neck, the old adage that chance favors the prepared mind has no more dramatic example for us than the Minneapolis situation.

Thirdly, we should admire our every day heroes. Every community has them. One that has captured my attention in the Minneapolis situation bridge collapse is the 15-year old kid who helped save lives of counselors and much younger children from the school bus on its journey from day camp to home. Not just an example of physical preparation, but an example of character preparation. Find ways to identify and recognize your local heroes everyday at the fire station, police department and scout troops for their devotion to our safety, comfort and the betterment of human kind.

Finally, let’s examine our policy priorities. We cannot have a healthy and prosperous nation ignoring our infrastructure — whether those be health, family, education or transportation. One headline said that there are thousands of similar bridges at risk. As we celebrate the golden anniversary of our nation’s interstate highway system, we can’t let politicians fund bridges-to-nowhere while bridges to and from day camps collapse beneath our children. The same can be said the other components of those broad shoulders of American society on which we depend every single day without thinking about it.

But the politicians say that unless they hear from us, they don’t feel much urgency to fund such fundamentally important programs and priorities.

Which gets me back to prayer – for our nation. Let’s not forget to pray that we do the right things for the people who live here as well as those around the world whose lives our leadership priorities impact. Because we are often the architects of bridges for many who are looking for ways out of oppression, poverty and ill health. The world depends on our broad shoulders, like it or not. We have to make sure those shoulders are strong in character, in policy and in the practice of life. We can learn a lot about all of this from our neighbors in Minneapolis – and from a 15–year old kid who knew what to do. And he didn’t hesitate to do it.

Larry

William L. Minnix, Jr., D.Min.
AAHSA President and CEO