The first two stages grew from little involvement to verbal response and preparation to help. Love Canal is a situation of unevenly distributed costs and benefits. The involuntary risk at Love Canal had benefit allocations to other sources, such as Hooker Chemical Company. Agencies of Love Canal knew of the problem but chose to do nothing. As seen at Love Canal, women are traditionally at risk.
Women being very close to the issue, they are closer to seeing necessary response.
The initial response at Love Canal was made by the victims, mostly women. One very powerful force in response of the issue, was that of Lois Marie Gibbs. She saw health problems with her children. Her son Michael, who was one year old when she moved to Niagara Falls had asthma, epilepsy, skin problems, and immunity problems. Her daughter Melissa, who was conceived and born there, had a rare blood disease.