This week our community was confronted with an emergency that no community wishes to experience – an incident of multiple injuries involving multiple people. Yes, I am speaking of the bus rollover of the Iowa Lakes baseball team.

What I experienced and observed is worthy of disclosure to our entire community, coupled with a profound sense of gratitude and awe.

When the word came into Trinity Regional Medical Center that multiple casualties with presumed life-threatening injuries would arrive presently at our emergency room, it was all hands on deck with a professionalism and competency that was inspiring.

I had the privilege of being an observer. This is what I saw. Teams appeared fully prepared for an emergency with gowns, gloves and booties on, waiting to receive the injured. Doctors, nurses and staff from across the hospital assembled to care for the incoming, all wearing the invisible badge – “how can I help.” It was inspiring.

As the injured arrived in the ambulance bay and were transferred to the emergency room, each patient was met with a team, taking them to pre-assigned rooms – injured person after injured person, met by their own team, taking them to a place of care. Each injured player had his own nurse that stayed with them throughout their treatment, encouraging them and letting them know that they were safe.

All of this was being accomplished with calm professionalism – no chaos, no raised voices, no confusion – just competency and compassion.

What was happening at the hospital was mirrored in the field by our neighbors who were first responders. Small town neighbors from a 30 mile radius, farmers, merchants, cooperative employees, all who immediately answered the call. Law enforcement and public safety personnel were also in the thick of it, helping, caring, giving comfort, looking to assist in any way possible reminding us, unlike what we have seen going on around the country, that they were there to help in any way possible, literally to protect and to serve.

And it did not stop with the doctors and nurses, Support staff who do the mundane work of keeping the hospital going were at the ready, cleaning beds and examination rooms. The executive staff, who administer the hospital, were in the trenches as well – working the phones to alert relatives about their loved ones, taking pressure off the emergency room staff by doing the nuts and bolts work, allowing emergency staff to totally focus on the patients.

And if this was not enough, the normal business of the day, heart attacks and strokes, rolled into the emergency room from around our region, all of whom were seamlessly incorporated into treatment, showing that they were every bit as important as the victims of the accident.

If all of this seems too rosy or too laudatory, it isn’t. A true capturing of what occurred can only be fully appreciated by the observance of what happened. That is what I was lucky enough to be, just an observer, and a minor one at best.

When describing these situations, someone is always left out and that is the shame, when all conducted themselves in exemplary fashion.

Our community must be made aware that we have people among us who are spectacular – competent, caring and compassionate. They are our neighbors and we are fortunate to also call them our friends. They need to be told thank you.

Deacon Joe Coleman is a chaplain at UnityPoint Health -Trinity Regional Medical Center.