Yes, the blame game was endless after Hurricane Katrina ("Failure to Rescue,"Editorial, October). Diana Mason is right that politicians need to ask what we have learned from this disaster. Nurses, at least, rose to the challenge. They're everyday heroes who know that they shouldn't leave a crisis, even if the shift is done. Although I'm sure that disasters in this country before the Department of Homeland Security was established were handled in a more timely fashion than Hurricane Katrina, I imagine that nurses and other civilian heroes pulled us through at that time, as well.

Mary Spencer-Herbert, RN

Lake Park, IA