On Monday, November 14, 2005, I was on a plane, heading for South East Florida; I was in the process moving to this fair weather state. You laugh. Yes, in recent years, Florida has become known for its hurricane action; it hardly represents the calm one might call fair. Nevertheless, in Florida, the terms fair and weather are used concurrently. The two are the topics of daily conversation, at least they have been since
Wilma hit.
In this state when speaking of weather, people ponder. What of justice, evenhandedness, and equality, are these void? Was hurricane Wilma just or was it merely indiscriminate in its destruction? Was there a reason for this tempest? Was nature taking its vengeance on this small and innocent province or was the administration to blame? Has the ignorance and denial of global warming taken its toll? Why did Wilma hit some parts of Florida twice? Could meteorologists have better predicted the direction and force of the storm? Could they have more accurately assessed what was to come?
There is reason for all this reflection. I saw it everywhere after I landed. Wilma whipped through the region weeks before my arrival; nevertheless, the devastation seemed fresh. I was stunned. I never imagined the damage would be as bad as it was. The President did not speak of it; the media did not mention it to any great degree; yet here it was. Ruin was rampant.
• Climate of 2005, Summary of Hurricane Wilma
• Hurricanes May Cost Insurers $57.6 Billion, December 28, 2005. Los Angeles Times
Massive and ancient trees were not down, they were uprooted. Sidewalks were not cracked; they were pulled away from their foundations. Buildings were without faces, roofs, windows, or frames. The waste was strewn about.
For out-of-towners, a trip to the stores reveals damage similar to what is found within many homes. Doors were jammed; windows cracked, stains covered the surface of the inner most sanctuaries. Now, as I write weeks later all is as it was when I arrived. There is so much work to be done, and supplies are few. Bricks, mortar, wood, and nails are in short supply and have been since the storms of 2004.
Many have been waiting for repairs since the storms of 2004. Homes and offices ravaged a year hence still were sitting in ruin. Charley, Frances, Jeanne, and Ivan may be no more than a memory for those in other parts of the country. However, for those in Florida, the memory lingers. Some left homeless in the prior year are still without a house to call their own. Wilma swelled these numbers.
Post Wilma, numerous hotels were closed; there was too much damage. They could not remain open. Those that did survive were packed; as I write this in December, many of these still are. Lodgings are and were booked through the month of November 2005; they are and were occupied with local residents. Throughout the end of October and into November, most were without telephone service; many suffered a loss of electricity. Even now, more than a month hence, there are still those without.
When I first arrived in Southern Florida, precautions were being taken. Residents throughout the area were told to boil water for safety reasons. Gas pumps were still not working. As time wears on, some stations are not yet serviceable.
Fractured signs, fallen trees, crushed glass, mangled metal; all are still present in late December. Individuals and industry are told it will be another eight months before repairs can be scheduled. This reality is accepted as true. After all, how long ago were the affects of Charley felt? These too have yet to be attended to.
I knew only a fraction of this when I first came to this area.
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