From the Publisher
This book is a living document, a testimony of the dramatic acts of the men and women who transcended their known abilities to save lives and retrieve bodies from the Interstate-880 Cypress Street viaduct following the October 17, 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. The firefighters, pararescuers, transportation workers, and coroner-investigators who informed this study reflect courage and human possibility as well as a sense of shared vulnerability. The most striking thread throughout the story is the reservoir of shared cultural meanings related to personal commitment, dedication to saving lives, avoidance of suffering, confrontation with death, and the solace of families. The stories capture a sense of community and solidarity that prevailed in one particular moment in history.
Dr. Stuhlmiller has recovered the meaning and possibilities of being compassionate and heroic in the midst of disasters. She holds up everyday understandings of the heroic for us to be reminded that we are all connected. This work brings fresh understanding to coping with disasters. Patricia Benner, University of California, San Francisco
This is a fascinating and remarkable book about how ordinary people cope with terrible experiences. It teaches us both about empathy for another's plight, which can greatly distress us, and how we can manage to keep sufficient distance from that plight to do what is necessary and be helpful. Richard S. Lazarus, Professor Emeritus, University of Californa, Berkeley
