Minneapolis Bridge Collaspe

"We Step Up"

As news outlets have been reporting for hours now, a major interstate bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis collapsed during the evening rush hour today (Wednesday). As of this hour, there are 7 known dead, but it's not clear how many vehicles are in the water and unaccounted for. After reporting and showing incredible footage of the twisted highway bridge, hours old now as it is well after nightfall in Minneapolis, TV commentator are marveling on the "fortunate" circumstances that probably cut down on the loss of life--the proxmity to a Red Cross headquarters where nurses were in class (they treated children from a school bus) and that the head of Emergency Medical Services happened to be nearby and was on the scene in minutes. But if you know anything much about the Twin Cities, you know it was more than luck.

The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul have strong civic structures, a practical belief in public services that goes beyond political party. They believe in the practical value of government. Public and private cooperation there is a longstanding tradition, also beyond party or any rivalries or differences.
This is a part of the country that has hot summers and particularly, it had frigid winters with snowstorms that can brew quickly and dump lots of snow. A culture has developed over the years of an optimistic acceptance of bad weather, and above all, an alertness to others in trouble because of it and a willingness to help. If you see somebody stuck in the snow, you stop and help them--that's just something you do. And chances are, you've seen it often enough.

So it's not surprising to me that people on the scene instantly began to help and rescue victims, or that many people have training and experience in helping, or that there were good plans in place and good cooperation among agencies, municipalities, levels of government. You can hear how normal this is in the interviews. "We step up," said one police official. It's what they do.

The Twin Cities is a special place, because the culture emphasizes what is potential in all of us, to think ahead and help when its needed as simply the right thing--and the normal thing--to do. The rest of America can learn from the people there.