This is a good model for the U.S. to follow when we have natural disasters or just mine cave ins. Two months ago a Chilean mine had a terrifying rock collapse, where 33 miners were trapped. To ensure that every miner came out alive and was healthy during thee two months, the miners' physical and mental health was being fastidiously monitored. The people watching over the 33 miner took precautions against all matters of complications. They provided aspirin to prevent blood clots, a specail drink to settle the stomach, and video monitors to watch for panic attacks. They are taking very specail of these 33 men and really have their lives being watched out for which is great. I feel that if something happened like this we wouldn't of been so responsive and watched them 24/7.
Even as they plan to take the men out the are checking everything and planning everything to makes sure these guys are as healthy or even healthier, an exaggeration, then when they went into the mine. They have them taking test to asses their health, they are planning for all the differences from being underground and being above ground. They are planning on giving them glaasses if them come out during the day, sweaters for the men who come out at night, they will have oxygen as they come out of the mine in a capsule that will rotate 350 degrees 10 to 12 times. As soon as they are out they will again have a quick medical check and then be rushed to the nearest hospital 15 minutes away and put in a ward as dark as a movie theater.
The trip up is suppose to take 20 minutes, but if the hole was just vertical it would of cut the time in half. They had to reinforce the top few hundred feet of the escape hole with a steel sleeve. However, some of the family members desired that the whole escape hole be reinforced, but that would take another week and geologist say there is no need for that. The thing is, i would find it so much better just to be safe and reinforce the whole hole because if there was another cave in that would be horrilbe and these men lives are worth another week of waiting. However, the capsule has spring-loaded tires which will stick to the wall and hold it better and they are cutting into virgin rock which means it is unlikely for a cave in because that rock has never been touched.
I find, how responsive and caring the Chilean government is to this, very heartfelt and nice. This really shows that they care about their people and find every life precious and want to make sure these men are healthy as can be. I really think the U.S. should look at this and be like, wow we should be like this because than people will trust us to be there and care about them when that help is needed.
2 comments:
During the summer i had the extraordinary opportunity of visiting South America, more specifically Peru, and one of the regions i went to was very close to where this mine had actually collapsed. I was able to experience first hand the true valor and commitment that Christian is referring to.
Some of the steps being taken to monitor the trapped miners were absolutely amazing, and I completely agree with a U.S based initiative similar to the one implemented by the Chilean government, if needed in a time of crisis such as this. Although Americans may not be normally thought of as overtly compassionate ,I am confident they posses the same caring nature as the people of Chile that may be awakened in a time of crisis.
If a natural disaster were to strike a single community in the U.S, I don't think we would be as responsive and caring as the Chilean Government. We would of course, do the job, but just to figure out a way to save the community we would probably take weeks instead of days. We seem to argue a lot over the basics and that puts a damper and elongates tradgedies. But none the less, American Government would respond but much slowly. Take a look at this country just this year they had the earthquake strike too, and they seem to overcome everything with the help of each other and quick government help.
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