Many of our readers as well as those of us at LockNet work in security.  It’s our primary responsibility to minimize risk, be it life safety or theft.  We make contingency plans, backup contingency plans, and then backups for the backup plans. Unfortunately, regardless of how much forethought we give, no amount of planning could prepare any of us for the full impact of the horrific events that occurred at the Boston Marathon on Monday.

Many of you have attended training and spent countless hours developing emergency procedures.  Tragically, many retail and restaurant establishments had to implement those measures on Monday.  We commend all of those actively involved in Monday’s events, from corporate management to sales associates, for swiftly and safely executing those plans.  Saks Fifth Avenue opened their store located near the scene to the FBI who used it as a temporary command station.  There are many unwritten stories about companies like yours and people like you who made a difference – who helped.  That is the human thread that held people together yesterday – people helping one another.

The question remains, how do we move forward?  How do we move our organizations forward to ensure that our emergency plans are as solid as they can be?  How do we personally move forward and grapple with the emotions?  How do those directly and tragically affected move forward?  I don’t have the answer, but I do know that we are a resilient nation and that we all will find a way to move forward stronger than we were.

A friend of mine shared a post on Facebook that I feel summarizes our nation’s ability to cope with events such as these.  “You wanted to induce fear?  Maybe you did, but only briefly.  Over the long term, you’ve engendered instead, strength and courage….Yours is a short-term celebration, at best…There’s a much bigger celebration looming – and you’re not invited…It’s the same celebration seen after September 11; after Aurora, CO; after VA Tech; after Sandy Hook – it’s the celebration of the American Spirit.  It’s the spirit that was born in 1607; given a name in 1776; and set to music in 1814.  Regardless of your paltry attempts and those like you, we will prevail, we will stand strong, and races will be run in spite of…you.” Google