Many of us cannot fathom the current situation in Puerto Rico, though we’re seeing horrific images from the island of American citizens who have lost everything. As I write this, it has been 8 days since Hurricane Maria left an entire island of 3.4 million people without power, some of which were already without power since Hurricane Irma had passed by just two weeks before that. Let that sink in. Puerto Rico was still recovering from Hurricane Irma when two weeks later Hurricane Maria devastated the island.
As efforts to aid Puerto Rico are underway and many collections for donations are organized in various cities across the nation, the question of how and when these supplies will actually get into the hands of Puerto Rican people lingers. This is especially true when we see photos of people waiting in long lines for food and water, rummaging through piles of spoiled food being given away by local supermarkets, and distribution centers with containers of supplies sitting and waiting to be transported. What is the issue? Why aren’t more supplies being distributed at a faster rate?
The Logistical Issue in Puerto Rico
While it’s true that FEMA is on the ground in Puerto Rico assisting the local government, there are plenty of challenges. Many roads are blocked due to downed power lines and debris, while others are unsafe, damaged, and inaccessible. It’s one thing to be able to provide support and supplies to the metropolitan areas; it’s another thing to be able to reach smaller towns in mountainous areas of the island.
Another issue Puerto Rico is dealing with is the lack of manpower. As explained in the video below, many of the supplies that are arriving to the island are not being transported island-wide and to all the necessary areas because more truck drivers are needed to pick up the cargo! As you can imagine, many employees are themselves stuck without being able to report for duty.
Puerto Rico needs more trucks & drivers who can deliver food & water, according to Governor @ricardorossello pic.twitter.com/2fOSAk4IwP
— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) September 27, 2017
Progress & Hope
In just the last 24 hours since I started writing this post, we’ve seen progress. The news coming out of Washington, D.C. and out of Puerto Rico is ever-changing and honestly, seems to be for the better. (At least my optimistic side believes this to be true.)
- Pentagon to ramp up aid for Puerto Rico on 9/27/17
- The Jones Act was waived for Puerto Rico on 9/28/17
With more news like this and increased support and aid, hopefully it will mean faster and more efficient relief for the people in Puerto Rico. But, this is going to be a long-term effort of recovery for Puerto Ricans. We all know this. So what can we do?
How to Help Puerto Rico After Hurricanes Maria and Irma
- Unidos por Puerto Rico / United for Puerto Rico – Spearheaded by the First Lady of Puerto Rico, this effort is accepting donations and provides a [PDF] guide outlining the supplies and support needed on the island.
- Many more organizations are collecting donations (monetary and supplies) and this PBS article has a good source of information of various ways you can provide help for Puerto Rico.
- Read, learn, and share credible information. Many people are still so misinformed about the status of Puerto Rico and its citizens. From not knowing that ALL Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens by birth or where Puerto Rico is located to sharing incorrect information that will not help those currently suffering from Hurricane Maria’s impact, we need to be sure we are helpful with what we share.
- Contact congress if needed. It took 8 days for the Jones Act to be waived for Puerto Rico after criticism and pressure from many in the media, senators, and the public. I’ll admit that sometimes you’ll question whether this effort is actually getting you anywhere, but it’s worth a try and you won’t lose much other than a few minutes out of your day.
I urge you to keep my home island of Puerto Rico in your thoughts as this will be a long process of rescue, recovery, and eventually, rebuilding for La Isla del Encanto. In the meantime, please, share this post so people can begin understanding the crisis in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria and can learn how to help!
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