Local responders show their preparedness

It is good to be prepared. But no matter how much one rehearses and trains, you can’t possibly be prepared for any possible scenario. We found that out last week when a freight train derailed in Crawford County, just down river from La Crosse. Despite all the training, there was no way for emergency workers to be prepared for a 20-car train derailment that sent two cars into the flooded Mississippi River. It was unprecedented. Yet local crews led by Emergency Management operations quickly responded to prevent danger to the public. They worked with BNSF crews to get the floating containers back to shore and get the crash site cleaned up so repairs can be made and get the tracks open again. This is an all-hands-on deck effort. Over the weekend, workers from La Crosse County hauled 2.5 million pounds of debris away from the crash site for disposal in the county landfill, even though the accident didn’t happen in La Crosse County. This extraordinary response by local emergency management staff has rightfully earned the praise of Governor Tony Evers. Their efforts have shown that even if you can’t train for everything, it’s always good to be prepared for anything.