The Minnesota Bridge I 35W Collapse of 2007

Case Study: The Minnesota Bridge/ I-35W Collapse of 2007
Intro
The Minnesota Bridge/ I-35W rumbled with high traffic during the rush hour when it dropped 60 feet down (or more) into Mississippi River in 2007, August 1st (Sander & Saulny, 2007). More than 50 vehicles went into the river with the passengers inside. According to Jim Clack from the Fire Department of Minneapolis, more than seven people got killed while an excess of sixty suffered injuries. The State patrol department was quoted as reporting 20 missing people (Sander & Saulny, 2007). Most people were rescued within one hour of the said collapse according to Jim Clack (Sander & Saulny, 2007). The 8 lane bridge served as the 35W interstate bridge serving the north-south route that passed through Minneapolis. The bridge was undergoing repairs when it collapsed. Witness testimony indicated that a jackhammer was at use on this bridge moments before it collapsed at around 6 PM (Sander & Saulny, 2007).
The bridge was constructed in 1967 and it collapsed in three areas (Sander & Saulny, 2007). The collapsed section of the bridge was approximately a thousand feet long and was under the steel truss structure support. The concrete deck, lights, and guard rails of the bridge were being repaired (Sander & Saulny, 2007). According to investigators, the bridge came down due to flaws in the design of the bridge (Waldjan, 2008). A thin metal plate that was too thin to serve the junction of a number of girders had been used. This bridge was a 1960s design and the bridge had lasted for forty years (Waldjan, 2008). The bridge, as many others would, had gained some weight during the period owing to the fact that workers has installed some concrete structures for the purpose of separating the westbound lanes from the eastbound lanes (Waldjan, 2008). This among other changes has strained the bridge on its weak areas. At the moment the bridge collapsed, crews had come along with heavy materials and equipment on the bridge deck for the repairs work (Waldjan, 2008).
What are at least 3 forms of technology that made or could have made a significant difference in saving lives, lessening suffering, and/or protecting property?
The 2007, August 1st collapse of the Minnesota Bridge/ I-35W killed 13 people and injured a total of 121 people (EMS World, 2008). The EMS (Emergency medical Services) response was led by the Medical center from Hennepin County (EMS World, 2008). The cooperation among the metro and first responders from the Federal and State partners was found to be outstanding (EMS World, 2008). The local players were equipped with adequate training in areas such as NIMS and had enough familiarity with the procedures and roles of every response team (EMS World, 2008). Plans from the EMS local team worked as anticipated including the incidence response Metro EMS plan and the application of mutual support (EMS World, 2008).
The EMS initial response was judged as sufficient and rapid. There were multiple EMS divisions established including the operations instituted on both river ends. Dispatch from EMS was also rolled out effectively (EMS World, 2008). EMS utilized with great success the ICS (Incident Command System). The newly implemented radio system with 800MHz capabilities was implemented following the 2002 evaluation that judged the previous system of communication during emergency situations wanting (EMS World, 2008). This radio system worked as anticipated and ensured that the response organizations were properly linked and informed. Other technologies including the video cameras on-site, municipal Wi-Fi, traffic management, and web-based GIS systems were used to facilitate and enhance the recovery and response efforts (EMS World, 2008).
Describe each of the 3 technologies (specific form or class of capabilities)
· 800 MHz radio system
The radio systems used for public safety including the radio systems used by the police, emergency medical service technicians, and firefighters during the Minnesota Bridge collapse response operates in various portions of 800MHz (FCC, n.d.). The radio system is made up of 806 MHz to 824 MHz spectrum band that is paired with the 851MHz to 869 MHz spectrum band (FCC, n.d.). These 800MHz radio systems are also used by private and commercial wireless radio systems. The inspiration behind the implementation of the 800MHz band reconfiguration radio system was due to the growing interference problems with the 800MHz communication system as a result of the heavy density of the commercial systems (FCC, n.d.). The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted the solid plan of band reconfiguration in July of 2004 (FCC, n.d.).
This plan was designed for the purpose of protecting first responders’ lives and the lives of other people working in the emergency personnel (FCC, n.d.). The system was also implemented in fulfillment of the obligation of the FCC to ensure safety for the property and life of responders through application of radio and wire communications. The 800 MHz band reconfiguration implementation was a priority for the homeland security and public safety bureau (FCC, n.d.). The Minnesota bridge incident happened to be the first and most significant test for this 800MHz system (FEMA, 2007). The 800MHz was quite an asset for the police, firefighters, and the EMS responders. The system did not fail. There was only a twelve seconds incidence with bust time although that did not affect operations at all. The system was deployed effectively. The system streamlined communication during the emergency rescue operation and made it possible for successful connection between the agencies and organizations involved (FEMA, 2007). The heavy investment in the purchase of the new system and radios paid off. The system saved lives through effective coordination and communication (FEMA, 2007).
· NIMS (National Incident Management System)
The NIMS is a standardized approach of its kind to the response and management of incidences (nh.gov, n.d). The NIMS approach was cultivated and developed by the homeland security department and implemented in 2004, March (nh.gov, n.d). NIMS established uniform procedures and processes for emergency responders at all government levels for the execution of any emergency operations (nh.gov, n.d). NIMS integrated profitable practices during emergency response into a national incident management framework that is comprehensive (nh.gov, n.d). NIMS enabled responders (i.e. the police, EMS units and firefighters) in the Minnesota bridge attack to work in unison and more efficiently and effectively for the management of incidence. NIMS system is employed in any emergency situation no matter the complexity, size, or cause. The emergency may include disasters and terrorism acts. Federal agencies are also required to employ NIMS framework for the management of domestic incidents and for the support of the local and state incident recovery and response activities (nh.gov, n.d).
NIMS benefits include the standardized organizational procedures, processes, and structures, exercising, training, and planning standards, qualification standards for personnel, acquisition, and certification standards for equipment, interoperable communication systems, procedures, and processes, management of information systems using a universally accepted architecture, publication management activities and processes, and support of technologies such as information systems, data and voice communication systems, specialized technologies, and systems for data display (nh.gov, n.d).
It should be noted that all responders in the 2007 Minnesota Bridge/ I-35W Collapse has initial training in the Minnesota NIMS version. The responders included the Minnesota EMS, the police, and the firefighters. All of the responders, administrators, and operational leaders had finished the necessary training in accordance with the expected responsibility levels
· web-based GIS systems
Web based geographical information system (GIS) concerns some distributed information category (IGI Global, 2019). It is a form of communication structure existing between the client and the GIS server. The relationship between the client and GIS server is implemented through the HTTP for customer and URLs for the server. The analysis options used in the web based GIS includes the spatial analysis, advanced mapping, and spatial access of data (IGI Global, 2019). Governments prefer the cloud GIS due to the fact that it improves collaboration among the people who update and share mapping data. The cloud GIS is also cost effective and highly efficient.
Divers employed the sonar for the location of vehicles, human remains, debris, and vehicles. The locations of each of the objects was marked using the GIS. Divers were able to identify numbers to license plates and other forms of evidence that made it possible for them to identify deceased people (FEMA, 2007). Emergency personnel had accurate highway and street closure information hence making it possible for them to identify fasted route to the scene. This was made possible by the web-based GIS operation picture (FEMA, 2007). The Emergency Operations center (EOC) received common operating pictures through the GIS mapping applications including the incidence area maps that offered assistance in the establishment of and relocation of security perimeter (FEMA, 2007).
Technology came in handy in the saving of lives and protection of property. Through technology the recovery and response efforts were managed effectively. There was real time awareness of the situation through video cameras on-site, the GIS helped in providing traffic management and common operations pictures, and the municipal Wi-Fi helped in managing communications during the incident. The technology performed exemplarily well and enabled effective recovery efforts. The technologies used were force multipliers for the Minnesota Bridge collapse recovery efforts. The MHz radio system enhanced communication and helped in harmonizing operations this time. The radio technology employed during the 2002 September 11th operation failed, hence curtailing the efforts of the first responders (EMS World, 2008). In this case the radio technology was not a force multiplier. Technology should be first of all assessed as effective in supporting rescue during emergency operations prior to its implementation.




References
EMS World, (2008). The Good & Bad of the I-35 Collapse Response. Retrieved 2 March, 2019, from https://www.emsworld.com/article/10320966/good-bad-i-35-collapse-response
FCC, (n.d.). 800 MHz Spectrum, Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Retrieved 2 March, 2019, from https://www.fcc.gov/general/800-mhz-spectrum
FEMA, (2007). U.S. Fire Administration/Technical Report Series: I-35W Bridge Collapse and Response, I-35W Bridge Collapse and Response. Retrieved 2 March, 2019, from https://www.hsdl.org/?view&did=485446
IGI Global, (2019). What is Web-Based GIS? Retrieved 2 March, 2019, from https://www.igi- global.com/dictionary/web-based-gis/32409
nh.gov, (n.d). What is NIMS? Retrieved 2 March, 2019, from https://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/hsem/documents/NIMSQA1305.pdf
Sander, L., & Saulny, S., (2007). Bridge Collapse in Minneapolis Kills at Least 7, The New York Times. Retrieved 2 March, 2019, from https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/02/us/02bridge.html
Waldjan, M.L., (2008). Faulty Design Led to Minnesota Bridge Collapse, Inquiry Finds, The New York Times. Retrieved 2 March, 2019, from https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/15/washington/15bridge.html