Remarkable Missions

As I started to write this editorial about the 40th anniversary of Emergency Medicine, I was alerted to the crash landing of a fully-fueled commercial jet carrying 155 people in the Hudson River across town, moments after taking off from LaGuardia Airport. After losing both engines to a flock of birds, the pilot glided the plane to a perfect landing in the river. Everyone on board disembarked, to be met by a flotilla of boats and crews who executed rescues they had trained to perform.