The Power of the People

On March 11, terror hit the political and cultural capital of Spain when 10 bombs exploded at three Madrid train stations during the height of the morning rush hour. At least 201 people were killed and 1,500 wounded as a result of the attacks that took place three days before Spain's general elections. Initially, suspicion focused on Spain's primary domestic terrorists, the Basque separatist group ETA, but as the hours and days passed, the spotlight moved to militant groups linked to al Qaeda.

This dreadful tragedy prompted an overwhelming response from the Spanish people, when more than a quarter of the population-11 million citizens-marched the streets on the night of March 12 to mourn the dead and show empathy for the victims' families, while standing strong against the cowards who had attacked their country 24 hours earlier. Two days later, the Spanish people protested again-this time at the polls, when they ousted the ruling party, blaming the government's support of the war in Iraq as a reason why the terrorists targeted Madrid. Whatever the motivations behind the voters' decisions, one thing is certain: The Spanish people used the power of their vote to effect change. They realized that if they spoke up en masse they could demonstrate their anger and fear, while bringing about a political change they felt was necessary to keep their nation safe.

We have long proposed in the pages of EMS Magazine that the only way to begin meeting the challenges that face EMS is to speak up about what is required to prepare our public safety personnel. Since the events of September 11, 2001, several key associations in the industry have been vocal in claiming that funding is too low to prepare EMS and fire personnel for the challenges ahead. However, 2½ years later, the situation has not substantially improved. Aligning power with politics, the International Association of Fire Fighters has endorsed presumptive Democratic nominee John Kerry for president in protest of what they see as neglect on the part of the current administration to fund public-safety response. Regardless of what your political beliefs are, change may require more than a few industry associations vocalizing their concerns in Washington, DC. We need to hear more voices at a local level. If you feel your agency does not have the money, equipment or time to adequately train to protect your community, speak up now. You owe it to yourself, your family and friends, your neighbors and colleagues. Don't wait until another massacre occurs to voice your concerns.

As usual, we welcome your thoughts on this issue. Send e-mail to emseditor@aol.com.