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 Lincoln Mayor Beth Davis expressed the sympathy
that so many are feeling for the victims and their families.
"I feel really bad for people who died or were injured. I look at
this as a significant turning point, worse than Pearl Harbor,
because of all the civilians who were killed."
"It’s a sad day for America," County Board President Dick Logan
said. He also sees it as a turning point.
"I think the terrorists have proven a point, that point being that
they can get you when they want to.
"We take a lot of things for granted in this country, one of them
being freedom. We think we’re secure and we’re not. I think you’ll
see a heightened security nationwide. It will probably take away a
little of our freedom, but I think it is necessary."
Violence can occur anywhere, even in Logan County, and it may be
necessary to increase security right here at home, he said.
"People come into the courthouse and complain because
they have to go through the metal detector. But judges are dealing
with possible violent situations every day. Every time people go
into a courtroom, somebody wins and somebody loses. We were
discussing just last week putting X-ray machines at the entrance to
the courthouse."
Logan County Sheriff Tony Soloman also cited the need for extra
security around the courthouse.
"It’s a shame we have to live this way, but I’m hoping we can
tighten up security there. I’m requesting an X-ray machine, which
I’ve thought we’ve needed for a long time. Disgruntled people may
want to take it out on the courthouse because that’s where something
unpleasant happened."
He said that on Tuesday he had put extra security at the courthouse
and a patrol at the Logan County Airport. Patrol units were also on
the lookout for anything suspicious and checking out electrical and
natural gas substations around the county, he said.
"This country thought we were prepared for something like this, but
what happened Tuesday goes to show us that we were not," he said.
"It’s a tragedy. And on top of that, I perceive it as an act of
war," said Jonathan Wright, Lincoln attorney who was recently
appointed to the 90th District Illinois House seat.
"Our priority has to be finding out who or what
organization or, potentially, what country, is responsible.
‘Then I believe the United States has to strike back
militarily and do so in a very severe manner. If we do anything less
than that, I believe, the kind of event we’ve seen Tuesday will
become more commonplace.
"The president has already commented on this, and I
agree with him that the federal government should provide all
resources necessary to help and assist the people and the families
caught in this tragedy.
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"This act of war should cause us to re-evaluate our
security at every level, whether it be federal, state or local.
Certainly at the national level we need to re-evaluate our
intelligence agencies and how we gather information."
"My heart goes out to my fellow medical professionals who are, I’m
sure, working around the clock under circumstances extremely
challenging, frustrating and disappointing," said Woody Hester, CEO
of Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital.
"We need to support those working so hard to help those who are
injured. They may want to be at home with their families and to know
what’s going on in the world, but they have to go on doing the work
that only they can do."
He said some ALMH staff members had friends in downtown Manhattan or
family members in the military, but they continued to do their jobs
at the local hospital. A meeting was held late yesterday morning to
inform workers what was going on. He also said some caregivers at
ALMH had volunteered to go to New York if they were needed.
Hester expressed sympathy for the victims and their families, and in
particular for the many paramedics, firemen and other professionals
trying to help others who were killed when the second tower of the
World Trade Center collapsed.
"Almost nothing good comes out of something like this, but we must,
when it is over, take advantage of any lessons we in the health-care
field can learn from it," he said.
ALMH was notified Tuesday morning by the Illinois
Department of Public Health and the Illinois Emergency Management
Agency that if an emergency occurred in Illinois, they might be
called on to support the large hospitals in Peoria and Springfield,
either by sending staff or by accepting patients. That alert ended
at 10 p.m. Tuesday, and the hospital is back to normal now but still
prepared to help if needed.
"Here at ALMH, this is the first time we have been asked to consider
sending any of our clinical staff to another hospital." He said
hospital officials had to consider how they could do that and still
take care of patients and staff the emergency room here.
ALMH was also asked to keep a running inventory of its blood supply
in case blood was needed. Hester said no more blood is needed now,
but new donors may be needed within two to four weeks.
Police Chief Rich Montcalm and Fire Chief Bucky Washam said Tuesday
night both departments were on the alert and ready to respond to any
emergency.
In a prayer offered before the Lincoln City Council meeting Tuesday
evening, the Rev. Glenn Shelton, who is also an alderman, asked that
Americans "grow closer and closer together as a result of this
tragedy."
[Joan Crabb]
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