On behalf of the Providence St. Joseph Health family, I want to take a moment to express our deepest condolences to everyone affected by the tragedy in Las Vegas. As health care professionals, we have seen our share of trauma on many occasions. Yet we cannot begin to fathom what it must be like to respond to casualties of this magnitude or to lose loved ones in such a senseless act of mass violence.

A few of our caregivers attended the concert in Las Vegas over the weekend or had family members who did, so we are actively monitoring the situation to account for all of our people and check in on their well-being. In addition, we have a group of IT caregivers who work in Las Vegas at one of our data centers. This tragedy hits very close to home for them, and our IT leadership and HR are spending time with them, offering support.

Our hearts and spirit are also with the local first responders, especially hospital personnel in the Las Vegas area. It is clear they have trained for a scenario of this nature, and are tirelessly responding to the staggering volume of patients in need. Their work is nothing short of heroic, and we thank them for their service.

Many of us feel a profound sense of sadness and a collective angst that comes from seeing one community after another devastated by natural disaster and acts of violence. It is in these moments that we must be there for one another. Through love and compassion, we can all contribute to the hope and healing of this world.