Hurricane Andrew Part Two
Kate Hale (County Emergency Management Director 1992) was having a bad time coordinating relief efforts three days after Hurricane Andrew. The damage was widespread and South of Kendall Drive the damage was serious. It looked like a war zone. Kate asked where the calvary was? The poor lady had not slept for days. The scope of the damage was just beginning to be understood, Homestead and Florida City were almost flattened, Goulds, Naranja, Perrine, Country Walk, Culter Ridge, Redlands, Key Biscayne and lots of other places had buildings with serious structural damage.
One of my first jobs was to take Florida Secretary of Labor down to Homestead so she could see what happened and what was or was not happening on the ground.
Doral to Homestead, the Turnpike all the way with the Florida Highway Patrol clearing the way. A three car convoy. I don't usually drive 80 mph. The FHP guy said to stay close to his bumper. Sirens blasting we were off to Homestead. We were supposed to go to Homestead City Hall to meet with the Mayor and others. A police escort does wonders. The ride was uneventful, except for trying to fly through toll plazas and keeping up with the Highway Patrol. I got the Secretary to her meeting, I was going on to an elementary school in Florida City where we would be signing up storm victims to do clean up work. Secretary Shirley Gooding, thanked me for the ride in a small note received in the office later that week. I really wish I had kept the note about our exciting ride to Homestead. Her words not mine.
Traffic control on US1 improved. By the weekend the cavalry was arriving. Major interesections had troops controlling traffic flow. Less major intersections still had at least two volunteers. I still chuckle about the volunteers just south of my post. By day five after Andrew they were holding up red and green ping pong paddles, human traffic signals.
The elementary school where my team was stationed was busy. The Mountain Division from Fort Drum New York secured the area. We would give out tickets that guaranteed interviews and jobs for at least two months. I was very popular. The school was a place where you could get first aid, MREs, water, and some time out of the sun and heat and an assignment for space in tents that were being erected on a daily basis for those that had lost their house. Our room was full of sunlight but no electricity and the halls were dark. It was hot.
My personal assistant carried an M-16 the first two days as we gave tickets. I asked him if it was loaded, he said no. The butt of the rifle would be our first line of crowd control which was slowing getting organized. Little more than a week after the storms my personal assistant was given another job. I saw him later and asked how it was going.
"Much better, he chuckled. When we got here it was pretty crazy. Now most people have some food, some water, and a place to lay down and sleep. At the medical tent, folks are starting to ask, if we have condoms."
There were about 30,000 troops in South Florida at the high point shortly after the storm. They stayed about six weeks and were greatly appreciated.
One of my first jobs was to take Florida Secretary of Labor down to Homestead so she could see what happened and what was or was not happening on the ground.
Doral to Homestead, the Turnpike all the way with the Florida Highway Patrol clearing the way. A three car convoy. I don't usually drive 80 mph. The FHP guy said to stay close to his bumper. Sirens blasting we were off to Homestead. We were supposed to go to Homestead City Hall to meet with the Mayor and others. A police escort does wonders. The ride was uneventful, except for trying to fly through toll plazas and keeping up with the Highway Patrol. I got the Secretary to her meeting, I was going on to an elementary school in Florida City where we would be signing up storm victims to do clean up work. Secretary Shirley Gooding, thanked me for the ride in a small note received in the office later that week. I really wish I had kept the note about our exciting ride to Homestead. Her words not mine.
Traffic control on US1 improved. By the weekend the cavalry was arriving. Major interesections had troops controlling traffic flow. Less major intersections still had at least two volunteers. I still chuckle about the volunteers just south of my post. By day five after Andrew they were holding up red and green ping pong paddles, human traffic signals.
The elementary school where my team was stationed was busy. The Mountain Division from Fort Drum New York secured the area. We would give out tickets that guaranteed interviews and jobs for at least two months. I was very popular. The school was a place where you could get first aid, MREs, water, and some time out of the sun and heat and an assignment for space in tents that were being erected on a daily basis for those that had lost their house. Our room was full of sunlight but no electricity and the halls were dark. It was hot.
My personal assistant carried an M-16 the first two days as we gave tickets. I asked him if it was loaded, he said no. The butt of the rifle would be our first line of crowd control which was slowing getting organized. Little more than a week after the storms my personal assistant was given another job. I saw him later and asked how it was going.
"Much better, he chuckled. When we got here it was pretty crazy. Now most people have some food, some water, and a place to lay down and sleep. At the medical tent, folks are starting to ask, if we have condoms."
There were about 30,000 troops in South Florida at the high point shortly after the storm. They stayed about six weeks and were greatly appreciated.
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