La Crosse’s plan for mass-fatality event

Holy Cross Seminary
would be gathering place

Nobody really wants to plan for a situation in which large numbers of people die.

La Crosse County, however, frequently has planning sessions to prepare for mass-fatality events.

Tim Candahl, the county medical examiner, says Holy Cross Seminary on the far south side of La Crosse has been chosen as a site where families of victims could go for a day or two after a disaster.

There’s a reason for that location, as opposed to something more central like the La Crosse Center or one of the university buildings.

Holy Cross has about 200,000 square feet of floor space, which is mostly vacant much of the year, and that would not disrupt most other activities there, Candahl says.

The proposed agreement with the La Crosse Diocese would last for five years.