Letter: Disaster drill and storm response was ‘warming’

To the editor,

I was fortunate to be an observer at the large scale disaster exercise in our community on this past Saturday, June 16.

Amazement was the single word I felt after the exercise was complete. I had never realized how wonderful our police and fire and rescue teams were.

Watching, hearing and feeling as if it were a true disaster, these people definitely revealed their professionalism, compassion, calmness, organization, teamwork and ability to execute their service to our town of Hastings.

My hat goes off to Chief of Police Paul Schnell, Fire Chief Mike Schutt and the entire city staff for organizing over the last year to help keep our community safe. I also want to thank our neighboring emergency responders who assisted with this exercise. With the storms we just went through, it was ironic that we just had this exercise to put into true action.

Thank you, Hastings, for being the giving community we have always been. It was so warming to see and hear our businesses and people help in so many ways and to lend a helping hand to those in need.

I am a proud Hastings resident and business owner.

Mary Fasbender

Hastings

Tags: letters to the editor, opinion, hastings, minnesota, spiral, local