Winter BULLETIN Preview
The 75th anniversary of the New London School tragedy is the featured cover story in the upcoming winter 2012 issue of the National Board BULLETIN. “Lost Generation: The New London School Explosion of 1937” is an excerpt from National Board Public Affairs Director Paul Brennan’s forthcoming book, BLOWBACK, releasing in 2012.
The article recounts the fateful day of March 18, 1937, when 294 students and teachers from the East Texas oil field community of New London, Texas, were instantaneously killed in an explosion caused by a natural gas leak.
Gas was odorless and hard to detect at that time, and the tragic accident was the catalyst for odorants to be added to natural gas for easy detection.
BULLETIN contributor James R. Chiles writes on the topic of institutional memory and its importance to a culture of safety. Many high-risk industries, such as refineries and chemical plants, lose their memory of past disasters about every 10 to 15 years. In his feature, Chiles shares lessons from past incidents, why remembering is critical for maintaining a culture of safety, and shares ways companies can preserve a collective memory.
Also included in the winter issue is coverage of the 81st General Meeting, May 14-18, 2012, at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Registration forms, preliminary program, banquet entertainment, hotel information, and guest tours will be featured.
Look for the winter BULLETIN to arrive in February.
Click the video to see newsreel footage of the New London School explosion.