The news reporters call the company for a statement. The company had no idea there was an accident. The company employees call home to have family/friends scour the Internet for information while someone rushes to the scene. Someone arrives on the scene as local news starts issuing breaking news announcements. A tentative explanation is established. Employee calls reporters to confirm details. Family/friends at home blog the information that wasn’t released to the reporters.

For example, in the accident I linked to above, the news claimed that this was the man’s first day of temping for WCI. He had actually temped for them on and off for the past 6 months. He needed so much blood that the doctors said they replaced every bit of blood in his body. Friday he was given a 10 percent chance of survival. Over the weekend he lost one of his legs and the doctors are keeping him in a coma to help with his pain. He has young children who need him to get well. The driver is devastated. Most of the WCI employees are salt of the earth, good people. WCI is one of the larger employers for the Deaf community in Knoxville. When one of their employees took in three generations of his New Orleans family for several months, the company and employees worked together to help. They will unite for these families, too. For most people, trash collection is something that is taken for granted. Before you wake or while you are at work, some invisible being just makes your garbage go away. I wonder if this tragedy will help anyone recognize that every day real people handle potentially dangerous equipment to make your life easier?