OK, so we're done with the manhunt and media frenzy and into observations and lessons learned. Here are a few things I saw:

Battlefield medicine learned in military training saved lives that day. Those folks, mostly military veterans of one sort or another; that rushed into the scene actually made a real difference.

The National Guard, often cited as useless, immediately moved to shut down the subway nearby and guard the entrances. The entire subway system was shut down very quickly. Logan Airport was shut down.

The race was diverted to another street and runners heading directly into the scene bypassed it and landed on the Boston Common, a large open area. A mile or so back, the race was halted in a space big enough to contain the crowd as it grew (from runners coming into it).

There was a hospital tent manned with doctors and nurses and equipped with emergency equipment within a few yards of the scenes. Ambulances were lined up and ready. Of the people not killed outright by the blasts, only one person died later of her injuries. Many were in surgery within the "golden hour."

The immediate area was cleared of uninvolved people very quickly and with minimal panic. There was an immediate move to preserve evidence. Different branches of the police were communicating effectively.   

Request for video and still images from that area were sent out immediately.

So there was a plan, and it was executed - time will tell, but it looks to me that it went pretty well. Media will have learned some hard lessons about believing stray twitter entries. Within a day, every government agency imaginable had a presence (well maybe not Agriculture, but who really knows?). In this day of budget cuts, someone should take a look at that. There was confusion and distress on the part of the people running and their families and stories of good Samaritans who helped them cope. Stranded people seem to have found each other rather quickly. Reuniting people and their stuff may take longer. The Red Cross did a lot in the first day or so in support of families and survivors, as well as feeding first responders.

People want to do something to help. Within a day, calls for blood donations were made for "maybe next month in the name of the victims," indicating there'd been an overload of donations already. The mayor and governor set up that fund that promises to be a reliable charity. If staying indoors on one of the most beautiful days so far this spring was a hardship, it at least was SOMETHING ALL THE PEOPLE OF BOSTON COULD CONTRIBUTE. After 911, the only message I heard from George W. was "go shopping," which made no sense then and even less sense now.