THE PUBLIC MIND: CAPE OFFICIAL DISPUTES CLAIM ON `CURE'

Dear Editor:

A recent letter stated that "community leaders once again let our city slide into obscurity and the people of Cape Girardeau missed a marvelous opportunity last weekend during Operation Steel Cure II." I am proud to report the fact that community leaders and citizens throughout the City and County of Cape Girardeau were very much involved in Steel Cure II. In addition to the operations at the Airport and the A.C. Brase Arena Building, other exercises and operations were taking place at the Delta Elementary School, the City Park in Jackson, the old Charles Harris Building at Independence and Kingshighway, Fire Station No. 1 at Sprigg and Independence, and Fire Station No. 2 on Mount Auburn Road. All of these operations were locally organized in conjunction with Operation Steel Cure II.

When the city of Cape Girardeau was first approached by the Missouri Air National Guard with the idea of Steel Cure II, a medical response exercise, the complexity, size and number of participating agencies were not known. Through City Manager J. Ronald Fischer, the city of Cape Girardeau supported this exercise by allowing the use of the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport, Fire Station No. 1, Fire Station No. 2, and the A.C. Brase Arena Building. Additionally, all City department directors and support staff participated in a four-hour emergency exercise on Friday morning. This exercise "kicked off" the entire Steel Cure II operation.

Further meetings with the Missouri Air National Guard involved agencies throughout the area and State. Agencies that became involved were the Cape Girardeau County Office of Emergency Preparedness, Southeast Missouri Hospital, St. Francis Medical Center, Missouri State Emergency Management Agency, Missouri Department of Health, Cape Girardeau County Health Department, Missouri Funeral Directors Association, Cape Girardeau County Private Ambulance Service, South Scott County Ambulance, Perry County Ambulance, Stoddard County Ambulance District, the Cape Girardeau Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, Troop E of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and Fire Departments from Cape Girardeau, Scott City, Millersville, East County Fire District, and Gordonville.

Many of these agencies not only participated in the Operation Steel Cure II exercise, but also supported other agencies in one or more of the various exercises taking place at different locations and at different times during the weekend.

An exercise of this large scope could not have taken place at all without the support of local businesses, which filled Red Cross tubs with hamburgers, sandwiches and drinks. They loaned equipment and facilities for use in the exercise, donated supplies, and graciously allowed disruption of their work day or business environment so that this exercise could take place.

Flyers requesting volunteers were circulated through schools, Southeast Missouri State University, Teen Challenge and many other organizations. The Southeast Missourian reported more than once on the event and published contact information for those who wanted to participate. More than 90 people volunteered to be "victims" for the first exercise. They showed up at the Arena Building at 7:30 in the morning to be "moulaged" for the start of the exercise later that morning. A local Boy Scout troop served as "victims" and then became rescuers so they could earn their first aid badges! In addition to this, large numbers of volunteers showed up continually on Friday and Saturday to help with the exercise.

Add all of this together with the Air National Guard Units from throughout the Nation, and you end up with the largest military-civilian medical exercise every carried out.

I do regret that anyone in this community feels that the City and County of Cape Girardeau were poorly accounted for in Steel Cure II. Many hours of preparation went into this operation by a great number of local people. Participation was enthusiastic and abundant. I personally feel proud of our area agencies - all of them - for participating, and I feel privileged to have been a part of this operation.

~Mark Hasheider

Emergency Operations

Coordinator

City of Cape Girardeau