Derailment: Public employees rose to occasion

It’s been about a month since the Amtrak train derailment that tragically ended the lives of three individuals and injured so many others.

The incident shook the entire region. It also highlighted the extraordinary work of Washington’s public employees.

The rapid and heroic response to the crash when it happened and the follow-up work to clear the tracks and reopen I-5 are the most recent and dramatic examples of the professionalism of public employees

Local and regional law enforcement, other first responders, members of the military, and employees from the state Departments of Transportation and Ecology all showed how much we rely on their expertise and service every day — especially in a crisis.

Further, leaders at the city, county and state levels marshalled resources and collaborated to take quick action and reopen the vital corridor.

As the board chair of WSECU, a credit union whose history is rooted in public service, I want to thank all the public employees who aided in the response and recovery of the train crash and who are there for Washington citizens day in and day out.

This story was originally published January 24, 2018 at 4:23 PM with the headline "Derailment: Public employees rose to occasion."