The forgotten first responders

Amanda Ripley:

Human Behavior in Indonesia

In Indonesia, emergency workers are having a very hard time getting into several remote villages devastated by last Wednesday’s 7.6-magnitude earthquake. As we’ve seen in every major disaster in history, regular people matter more than anyone else in the darkness of these voids. During the golden hours when rescue is possible, civilians do much of the lifesaving--and they are capable of remarkable creativity. It is wrenching and inspiring at once.