CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) – In the wake of the Francis Scott Key bridge collapse in Maryland Tuesday morning, local first responders are sharing their emergency plans if a bridge collapse were ever to happen again in West Virginia.

David Armstrong, the Deputy Director of Kanawha County Emergency Management, says it is important to be prepared for it to happen anywhere. He says Kanawha and Putnam Counties share an all-hazard plan in case of a bridge collapse.

Armstrong says from the moment a 911 call comes in that a bridge collapsed, it’s all hands on deck. Police and fire departments, county emergency teams, and even the Coast Guard can be dispatched.

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From there, an emergency alert can be sent to the public if deemed necessary.

Upon arrival, swift water and diving teams have to determine if it’s safe enough to go into the water and begin a search mission. Freezing water temperatures and excessive metal bridge debris can make a search too hazardous.

Armstrong says if it is safe enough to search, a rescue mission begins immediately.

“Those responders are dealing with chilly waters, twisted metal. It is not going to be an easy rescue,” Armstrong said. “You need to start thinking about hypothermia. These folks have been in the water for some time now. There’s a lot of things that play into this.”

Glasgow Volunteer Fire Chief Marty Blankenship says a catastrophic event like a bridge collapse can be a difficult response for all departments involved.

“It’s a lot of moving pieces that you have to try and put together within minutes time,” Blankenship said. “You need to deploy boots, manpower, and ensure the people on the boats have the proper training to do so.”

In our region, we’ve seen a fair share of bridge disasters in the past, most notably the Silver Bridge Collapse between Point Pleasant, WV, and Gallipolis, OH, on Dec. 15, 1967, that claimed the lives of 46 people during heavy rush hour traffic. It’s known as the deadliest bridge failure in American history and led to the National Bridge Inspection Program.

After that, the Washington Street Bridge collapsed over the Elk River in 1971. No one was hurt, but the structure fell in a shower of sparks and noise.

Years before and also over the Elk River, the Elk River Bridge in Charleston fell into the waters below in 1904. It happened on Dec. 15 – the same date as the Silver Bridge Collapse more than 60 years later. The Elk River Bridge collapse took the lives of two children on their way to school, and many more were injured.

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