There is never enough money or time. But, we must remain resolute for what is the price of our freedom, of our country's well-being, of our lives. We now mourn, as we should. However, we would be remiss if we did not revere our victims by committing to not allow such heinous actions to occur again so easily. Emergency physicians around the country, as well as all Americans, must now vow to become involved, realizing that it is indeed costly and dangerous.
History continues to repeat itself.
As some of us who have responded to such tragic incidents before have come to learn, we can only do our best and hope that it is the best that can be done for ourselves and for our America. Dr. Joseph F. Waeckerle was the medical officer in charge of rescue triage during the 1981 Hyatt Regency skywalk collapse in Kansas City, Missouri. He is the Disaster Medicine and Domestic Preparedness Liaison for the American College of Emergency Physicians, and Editor in Chief of Annals of Emergency Medicine, the leading journal in peer reviewed research in the specialty. Other information about Annals Annals of Emergency Medicine is the official publication of the American College of Emergency Physicians. The journal is provided to all ACEP members as a membership benefit and is available to non-members through an annual subscription.