I want to shift away from sports for just one minute here and touch on something that struck me today. No, not the stock market or premier of The Hills this week. I want to talk about the rescue effort for the trapped miners in Utah.
I will keep this short because I basically just want to voice my thoughts and am interested in what everyone else has to say.
It will be two weeks on Monday since the Utah miners were caved in and trapped. Last night, there was another disastrous cave in and 3 rescue workers were killed.
I understand that everyone wants to do everything they can to rescue these miners and get them to safety. But at what point is risking the lives of others not worth it anymore? I know this is a very difficult, not exactly black & white moral issue, but my problem lies with the families of those who were killed in the rescue efforts. Yes, the workers will be considered heroes for putting their lives on the line for others. But afterwards, all the second guessing comes into play, was it worth it, was it necessary? Will the trapped miners even make it out alive and if not, was it a wasted effort?
I also understand the other side, the families of the trapped miners who want to do everything and anything they possibly can to save them. As head of the rescue effort, how can you possibly look them in the eye and justify that you are done searching and trying to rescue them?
It is a very thin line between putting other people at risk and essentially giving up. It's almost impossible to make both parties happy, especially if the rescue efforts do not end up prevailing, and the miners cannot be saved.
I'm not quite sure where I stand on this, but I know that after two weeks of every ones best efforts combined with the unfortunate deaths of rescue workers. It just might be time to cut your losses and move along.
So my question is, how do you handle this? And when is enough, enough? All I know is, I'm glad I'm not the one making that type of decision.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
To be honest I haven't followed the situation that closely but my initial thoughts are...
if the likelihood of savings lives is more likely then losing rescuers lives, then you have to keep up the effort
However, it doesn't seem as though there are any signs of human life, no sounds on the microphone, extremely low oxygen levels... that at this point, i think you may need to call off the rescue efforts
The likelihood of saving lives appears to be less then the likelihood of losing rescuers lives
i could be way off but these rescue workers see this as their livelihood...and would probably not appreciate being told to give up.
i dont fully understand it and most of us probably cant but its the same action as a fireman running into the WTC on 9/11 to a degree. (going with what jojo said) the expected value of life is negative but im sure not for a second do they consider not risking their life to save another.
you touched on the decision process of when to call off the rescue mission and obviously that isnt a rescue workers final call so when the boss gives up i do not know. but if the search is called off, those rescue workers probably acquire an endless sense of guilt for the rest of their lives.
all that being said, i have not followed this story at all. and am just thankful i will never have to make a living to feed myself/my family in such a dangerous profession. and, as sad as it is, that fact disconnects me on an emotional level from this type of story (as opposed to a school shooting or the like).
Post a Comment