Waking up Sunday morning two weekends ago, I booted up my Internet browser to check on the news, politics and my guilty pleasure of celebrity scandal.
On the Huffington Post newsfeed, a blue underlined hypertext read the following: "Florida Pileup Kills At Least 10."
After what I thought would be a quick perusal, I realized this pileup didn't happen in just any city in Florida. It happened in Gainesville, just a few miles south of a city I have come to call home.
Eleven people perished on Interstate 75 near Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, several of whom called Gainesville home as well. Among those was a Santa Fe College student and single mother whose passion was dancing.
The names and stories of those who perished extended from local to national headlines, and within hours Gainesville rose in the eyes of the nation from the quintessential college town to one that was grieving over a major loss of life.
On a weekend that was marked with two popular events, the local Hoggestowne Medieval Faire and nearby Gasparilla Pirate Festival in Tampa, many woke up to the solemn news: A forest fire and already foggy conditions made for poor visibility along the highway at 4 a.m, and a domino effect of deadly automobile crashes ensued.
But while the city mourned over its losses, the town stood guard, ready to deal with the tragedy.
Shands at UF went live at 5 a.m. that Sunday, bringing in medical experts and extra staff to tend to those in critical condition. As always, Shands didn't fail in offering superb medical attention.
The Hilton University of Florida Conference Center Gainesville took in those who had been stranded for hours on the interstate, offering rooms for the night free of charge. The Hilton's gesture alleviated much of the stress the city already had to deal with.
As of today, the fire that began the early-morning tragedy remains unexplained. It is possible that the fire was man-made.
Whether the fire was started accidentally or by an arsonist, investigations must be made to prevent such a tragedy from occurring again.
Gov. Rick Scott rightfully ordered an investigation of the Florida Highway Patrol. Opening the highway back up was a bad judgment call on the FHP's part. If the FHP was present clearing up an accident earlier that night, why wouldn't it leave the road closed after seeing the fog conditions?
While whoever is at fault should be punished, whether it be an arsonist or those who prematurely opened the highway, measurements should be enacted to keep the roads safe for all who come to and from Gainesville.
FHP should also play an active role in discouraging travel during the late-night hours. Past midnight, driving on the roads becomes a serious danger. A driver not only has to deal with dim lighting and the battle of falling asleep at the wheel, but also with the possibility of drunk drivers.
Thousands of passengers, both from the university and those just passing by, travel down I-75 each day.
Gainesville cannot afford another heart-wrenching tragedy, so I urge the FHP to crack down on enforcement and safety measures on our roads. But as far as dealing with the tragedy goes, the city has done a tremendous job in maintaining the reputation of a caring town.
Safe travels.
Colleen Wright is a journalism freshman at UF. Her column appears on Tuesdays.
