Boston Strong

Not really a nephrology post but in view of all that happened at the time of the Marathon bombing, I felt that I should highlight an article posted in JAMA this week. Although 3 people unfortunately died as a result of the bombing, the fact that every patient who made it to a hospital survived is a testament to the skill and preparedness of the emergency response system in Boston. As the article points out, this was not an accident but was the result of years of refining protocols and performing regular drills to prepare for such an incident. The article focuses mostly on the response at my institution - the Brigham and Women's Hospital - largely because the author works there, but the fine work that was done in the Brigham that day was repeated in all of the other centers where the victims presented.

Here is a personal account from the finish line from the NEJM. Here are 3 more accounts from the NEJM detailing the response and the happenings of the day.