Comments on: “To Succor Their Fellow Men” (Utah history)

By: Ray

Ray — Sun, 11 May 2008 04:14:36 +0000

I absolutely love Alan Jackson’s song, “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning” – because of the incredible imagery it contains. One of the lines about the firefighters and police officers on 9/11 that applies so well to these rescue workers is:

“Did you stand up with pride for the red, white and blue – and the heroes who died just doin’ what they do?”

By: Guy Murray

Guy Murray — Sat, 10 May 2008 18:45:27 +0000

I can’t imagine where I’d find the courage to go back in as a rescuer after something had already gone wrong.

I pondered that as well during the aftermath of this disaster, particularly after seeing the cramped quarters and dismal conditions of those rescue workers as profiled on CNN. Gives new meaning to the Scripture, Greater love hath no man . . .

By: Jeff Johnson

Jeff Johnson — Fri, 09 May 2008 22:05:11 +0000

That is very interesting, thanks.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Fri, 09 May 2008 18:48:32 +0000

I’m not quite claustrophobic, but I don’t enjoy being underground. Hard as it would be to be a miner in the first place, I can’t imagine where I’d find the courage to go back in as a rescuer after something had already gone wrong.

Thank you, Edje and Jacob F, for reading and commenting.

By: Jacob F

Jacob F — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:35:25 +0000

It’s amazing that safety measures like this took so long to come about! Reading this post reminded me of the Scofield mine disaster in 1900. It was the worst to date in U.S. history in terms of deaths — around 250, including my great grandma’s husband. Considering the fact that many of those men died from the afterdamp, I wonder how many would have been saved if they could have swiftly donned oxygen equipment. On the other hand, I wonder how many deaths were averted in future disasters once safety training really took off.

By: Edje

Edje — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:43:20 +0000

Thanks; this is pretty interesting. (And it brings back memories of competitive first aid meets from Boy Scout days.)