Well Handled

A budding but incompetent terrorist set off a pipe bomb in a New York subway this morning. Authorities handled the incident well and over-communicated, as they should have, the particulars of the event to ease public concern. Only three people were hurt, apparently none seriously except the perpetrator who was burned and is in the hospital. Fortunately, New York emergency respondents had recently rehearsed what to do in the case of a terrorist attack so they were ready. The lesson here is that crisis handling and communication don’t work well on the page. One needs to run through everything that needs to be done from securing a scene through transporting victims, communicating to the public and collecting forensic evidence. It won’t be the last time this happens. The next incident might  be serious. It is good to know that New York is ready.