Hurricane Irma - Makenzie's View
On June 23, 2017, I finally completed my PADI Open Water Scuba Certification. I was so happy to be able to start my diving experiences in the Florida Keys as it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. Despite last year’s trip where my Dad and I drove the length of US1 to Key West, I had waited seven long years for this perfect day in Pennekamp State Park in Key Largo. It was 88 degrees and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. 
The facilities were pristine, from the newly laid concrete in the parking lot to the fresh paint on the dive shop walls to the light stained on the decks leading out to the massive dive boats. As I prepared to take my first step off of the ship and into the water, I noticed that I could see my reflection in the water at the same time that I could see 30 feet below to the bottom of the marina. The memories that I made this summer will last for my lifetime.
On September 10, 2017, seventy-nine days after my first ocean dive in Key Largo, Hurricane Irma laid waste to the Florida Keys with sustained wind speeds between 130 and 156 mph. Recorded gusts of wind clocking at 183 mph took the lives of over a dozen people living in the island string and razed over 25% of the homes. The southern Keys took a direct hit, wiping out businesses, roads, power, water and trees.
The northern Keys, including Key Largo, fared a little better but still suffered significant widespread structural damage. Pennekamp Park remains closed to this day due to compromised building integrity and Snappers Grille, where my Dad and I had lunch on two occasions, was completely destroyed.
We possess the power to use technology in order to command sustained attention to the continued suffering of, and established relief efforts for, those in the Florida Keys. The problem that our power will help overcome is the short attention span of the American people due to the 24 hour cycle of “breaking news.” Institutions such as the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and the United Way collect tens of millions of dollars to help those in need. They are boots on the ground when disasters strike those in the United States. However, those institutions need our collective power in order to provide the aid that is so desperately needed. Our power will hold a virtual microscope over the plight of those suffering from Irma and redirect individuals, moved to help financially, to those institutions best suited to deliver directly to the people.
The facilities were pristine, from the newly laid concrete in the parking lot to the fresh paint on the dive shop walls to the light stained on the decks leading out to the massive dive boats. As I prepared to take my first step off of the ship and into the water, I noticed that I could see my reflection in the water at the same time that I could see 30 feet below to the bottom of the marina. The memories that I made this summer will last for my lifetime.On September 10, 2017, seventy-nine days after my first ocean dive in Key Largo, Hurricane Irma laid waste to the Florida Keys with sustained wind speeds between 130 and 156 mph. Recorded gusts of wind clocking at 183 mph took the lives of over a dozen people living in the island string and razed over 25% of the homes. The southern Keys took a direct hit, wiping out businesses, roads, power, water and trees.
The northern Keys, including Key Largo, fared a little better but still suffered significant widespread structural damage. Pennekamp Park remains closed to this day due to compromised building integrity and Snappers Grille, where my Dad and I had lunch on two occasions, was completely destroyed.We possess the power to use technology in order to command sustained attention to the continued suffering of, and established relief efforts for, those in the Florida Keys. The problem that our power will help overcome is the short attention span of the American people due to the 24 hour cycle of “breaking news.” Institutions such as the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and the United Way collect tens of millions of dollars to help those in need. They are boots on the ground when disasters strike those in the United States. However, those institutions need our collective power in order to provide the aid that is so desperately needed. Our power will hold a virtual microscope over the plight of those suffering from Irma and redirect individuals, moved to help financially, to those institutions best suited to deliver directly to the people.