Behind the Scenes at the 55th Presidential Inauguration.

INAUGURATION of United States presidents; BUSH, George W. (George Walker), 1946-; MEDICAL emergencies; FIRST aid in illness & injury; MARTINELLI, Angela; PUBLIC health

The article reports that January 20, 2005 was a day of celebration in Washington D.C. as thousands of people attended the ceremony, parade, and evening galas held to commemorate George W. Bush's second presidential inauguration. For many, though, it was an extra day of work, ending four months of preparation for any emergencies that might arise, from first aid for the 500,000 attendees to a more sinister event resulting in mass casualties. According to Angela Martinelli of the U.S. Public Health Service, security for the inauguration was the tightest she had ever seen. Indeed, some trucks carrying first-aid equipment were unable to make it through security checkpoints, leaving some aid stations with few supplies. Fortunately, the day was quiet and all most people needed were a place to get warm.