Introduction
This report is aimed at examining the response to the collapse of 35W Mississippi River Bridge in Minneapolis. In particular, it is necessary to focus on the use of National Incident Management System (NIMS) which is supposed to be the guideline for local, state, and federal agencies. It is one of the main frameworks that enable various agencies to align their efforts during emergency situations.
Furthermore, one should evaluate the strengths and weaknesses in the work of various organizations. These are the main questions that should be discussed. Overall, one can argue that this incident can be used to evaluate the ability of governmental organizations to work together on various tasks.
The use of the NIMS
First, it should be noted that the state government invested into NIMS training, and approximately 2000 employees participated in this program (Stambaugh and Cohen 3). The representatives of various agencies were allowed to work together while responding to hypothetical emergency situations. The collapse of 35W Mississippi River Bridge indicated that the use of NIMS is critical for various organizations.
First of all, in the course of the operation, the agencies used mostly the documentation required by the NIMS standards (Stambaugh and Cohen 3). Moreover, one can mention that that the response to this incident included by each of the ten NIMS elements (Stambaugh and Cohen 29).
For example, one can mention emergency medical services, hazardous materials service, law enforcement agencies, safety communications, and so forth (Stambaugh and Cohen 29). Additionally, logistics operations were carried out according to the standards of the NIMS. It should be taken into consideration that there was Minnesota variant of the National Incident Management System (Stambaugh and Cohen 5).
Nevertheless, the co-existing of two approaches did not impair the work of the rescues. This is one of the main issues that can be identified. Overall, different elements of the NIMS ensured that different teams could quickly work out the most effective response strategies.
The strengths of the response operation
It is possible to identify several positive aspects in the work of organizations responsible for the operation. First of all, one can speak about good coordination of different agencies such fire departments and healthcare organizations.
This is one of the main requirements that were emphasized during the NIMS training. This coordination enabled emergency personnel to assist the victims as soon as possible. Overall, the ability to align the efforts of various agencies was critical for the progress of the operation.
Moreover, one can argue that the rescuers were able to develop a course of an appropriate action. For instance, they managed address various challenges such as concrete and sharp metal debris, poor visibility, the possibility of additional collapse, and strong current (Stambaugh and Cohen 23). Each of these circumstances could put a threat to the lives of victims as well as rescuers.
Apart from that, one should take into account that emergency workers had to operate at two sites and this circumstance made their work more complicated. Nevertheless, public agencies coped with these difficulties. It is possible to say that these challenges might not be addressed properly, if governmental employees had not received NIMS training. This is one of the main points that can be made.
Apart from that, it is vital to mention the role of technologies, for example 800 MHz radio system or Geographic Information System. They were important for the coordination of various agencies (Stambaugh and Cohen 45). It should be also noted that the rescuers relied on real-time images to order to identify possible problems that required immediate response.
On the whole, the use of technologies is one of the factors that contributed to the effective functioning of various rescue teams. Furthermore, the use of various technologies is a part of the NIMS training. Therefore, one can say that the investment into this program was quite justified. This is one of the main strengths that should be kept in mind.
Moreover, it is important to mention that emergency workers were able to assess the stability of the bridge within a relatively short time (Stambaugh and Cohen 45). This is one of the critical tasks because there was a danger of subsequent collapse.
This activity required significant expertise from people who were involved in this activity. Furthermore, they had to operate under significant time constraints. The successful completion of this task indicates at the preparedness of various organizations that had to respond to this emergency situation. These agencies could function as a single entity.
Finally, it is important to speak about excellence performance of local leaders. These people were able to develop the most optimal strategies for assisting the victims of the bridge collapse. It should be borne in mind that the effectiveness of this operation depended on the speed of response.
In turn, local representatives of various agencies had to act as the main decision-makers, and they fulfilled their duties properly. These are the main aspects that can be identified. Judging from these examples, one can say that the different agencies were prepared for this emergency situation. This is one of the main arguments that can be put forward.
The areas that need improvements
In turn, there are several problems that can be identified. First of all, it is important to mention overcrowding at Emergency Operations Center (Stambaugh and Cohen 45). Certainly, this issue did not result in significant delays, but it did slow down the work of rescuers. Thus, one can say that more attention should have been paid to the development of Emergency Operations Center.
Additionally, rescuers did not consistently use tags and triage ribbons, and it was difficult to identify hospital destinations and patients (Stambaugh and Cohen 44).
Surely, every victim received appropriate medical treatment, but the failure to use tags complicated record keeping and it was sometimes difficult to provide accurate information to the relatives of the victims. This is one of the issues that should be identified. So, the ability to record and store information is one of the concerns that should be addressed.
Apart from that, some of the rescuers disregarded their own safety, especially when they had to work with debris. Admittedly, none of them sustained injuries, but this behavior could give rise to serious problems (Stambaugh and Cohen 44). For example, some of them did not wear personal floatation devices while working near the water, and in this way, they significantly imperiled their lives (Stambaugh and Cohen 44).
Therefore, the incident has highlighted the importance of safety instruction for governmental employees who need to avoid the risks to their lives or health. This issue should also be considered by policy-makers and administrators who should ensure proper response to various emergences.
Moreover, it is important to mention that at the beginning of the operation, the representatives of different agencies could not decide which organization should play the leading role (Stambaugh and Cohen 45). This confusion was resolved within a relatively short time, but it could impair the progress of the rescue operation. These are some of the main problems that can be identified.
The analysis of this case can throw light on the deficiencies that have to be addressed. In particular, one can determine what kind of changes should be made in the training programs. This is why these problems should not be disregarded. This case is important because it enables people to look at the functioning of rescue teams from different perspectives.
Conclusion
On the whole, this report indicates that the collapse of 35W Mississippi River tested the ability of local and federal authorities to act in an effective and timely manner. It is possible to argue that the major agencies involved in this task were prepared for this incident. In particular, they were able to coordinate their efforts and minimize threats to the lives of the victims.
Moreover, these professional made an efficient use of different technologies that enabled them to save both time and effort. Nevertheless, some problems can also be detected. Much attention should be paid to poor compliance with safety rules and inaccurate documentation.
Despite these limitations, one can say that that this operation was carried out effectively. Moreover, the compliance with the NIMS standards was vital for the effective performance of rescue teams.
Works Cited
Stambaugh, Hollis, and Cohen, Harold. I-35W Bridge Collapse and Response, Minneapolis: Department of Homeland Security, 2007.Print.