Monday’s attack at the Boston Marathon served as a painful reminder that we, as a nation, must remain vigilant and cognizant of potential dangers at events that may not typically be considered terrorist targets.

These people were killed and more than 170 were injured in the blast that occurred on a downtown street.

And Lawrence County and the entire Tri-State should not be considered immune or insulated to the potential for such violent attacks.

May is a big month in the region with the Gus Macker basketball tournament, high school graduations and a variety of patriotic events culminating with the historic Ironton-Lawrence County Memorial Day Parade.

As a community we shouldn’t panic and we must not allow fear to rule us, but it is certainly smart to be prepared and start thinking about both preventive and public safety steps as well as emergency response plans in case the unthinkable happen.

The old adage is that, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” That certainly would be the case here.

Let’s enjoy the upcoming spring and summer celebrations that bring our communities closer together — but do so safely and smartly.