The U.S. Conference of Mayors recently announced that Lauderhill has been chosen to be 1 of 15 of the finalist for the 2006 City Livability Awards for cities under 100,000. This award focuses on the positive efforts of mayors and cities who are improving the quality of life, and making a difference for their residents. In connection with Waste Management, the co-sponsor, this annual award will be announced during the Mayors' Annual Conference in June.
Following Hurricane Wilma, Fire Chief Ed Curran drafted a paper entitled "Hurricane Wilma Post Incident Analysis Preliminary Report." It outlined steps taken before, during and after the hurricane, in how Lauderhill responded. It contained significant detail of the storm, and provided not only a best practice outline of the city, but also provided a guidance of where improvements can be made. This report has been copied, and distributed to other cities in the county.
From this report, Mayor Richard J. Kaplan distilled the information and supplemented it into a shorter application that was submitted to the judges. At present, Lauderhill is 1 of 15 finalists in its category. The 30 finalist chosen between the two categories, were from 235 applications submitted. Following notification, Lauderhill has prepared a more detailed report for the second round of review.
There at the Conference in June will be announced the one First Place Award, four Outstanding Achievement Awards, and five Honorable Mention Citations. The top 5 winners in each category must hold a local ceremony within 90 days following the announcement. To be recognized just as a Finalist is a significant achievement, and is the second time Lauderhill has been so honored.
6 comments:
You do a great job of featuring our city to the rest of the country.
I, for one, would be interested in reading the "Hurricane Wilma Post Incident Analysis Preliminary Report." Is it or can it be made available for review?
I am trying to get a copy of it on line to link to. I have had copies made of it for distribution to other cities, and it is a public record for review. The City Clerk can get it for you, 954-714-5566. However, let's see what I can do.
Quote: "Following Hurricane Wilma, Fire Chief Ed Curran drafted a paper entitled "Hurricane Wilma Post Incident Analysis Preliminary Report." It outlined steps taken before, during and after the hurricane, in how Lauderhill responded. It contained significant detail of the storm, and provided not only a best practice outline of the city, but also provided a guidance of where improvements can be made. This report has been copied, and distributed to other cities in the county."
Let's hope other cities elsewhere are not so badly off as was Lauderhill after Wilma. That was horrible.
I believe it was you, Mayor Kaplan, who went to Stonebridge Gardens Complex on October 30, 2005, and told residents that Fire Chief Ed Curran would be around the next day and inspect every unit of each building and consider on a unit to unit basis which ones need be evacuated. On Monday October 31, 2005, the entire complex was red tagged by said Fire Chief WITHOUT a building by building, unit by unit, inspection. What was ordered done is that police with bad PA systems told everyone they must evacuate the complex...thousands of people. As this came at a time...early afternoon...convient to executives but not to residents away from Stonebridge at work, the result was people hiding out from police and families split and sent to shelters. It was a disaster. There have been lawsuits filed with the promise of more on the way from those who challenge the red tagging and proceedure on several levels as illegal and responsible for millions of dollars worth of damage to families and their psychological health, physical well being, and financial stability.
Is this an example to emulate?
I read http://www.geocities.com/lecturestogo/gonewiththewind.html
Besides, I was there when it went down.
'Nuff said.
Jus' sign me,
Howard
That should read:
http://www.geocities.com/
lecturestogo/gonewiththewind.html
Howard
After the Hurricane, I did happen upon Stonebrige Gardens, when they were about to have an emergency meeting of the residents. I was distributing information throughout the city, and that was one of my stops.
When I arrived, I had discovered what was going on at Stonebridge Gardens, and was informed of the prior visits of our Fire Department. Since I did not know what was about to happened, I could only give advice about how to possibly prepare for what I was hearing.
Essentially, I stated that, given the severity of the situation, residents should prepare right then for alternatives, in case the place was deemed unsafe. I also gave advice of contacts for help which were given us by other governmental agencies responsible for such services.
It was clear to everyone at the meeting, the problems of the development were tremendous, and that there would be no quick fix to the situation. At least some time was allowed for residents to try to get their affairs together. Unfortunately, it was not a lot of time, there were limited options to many, and yes, there were some that decided not to take any action to their own detriment.
Well, it was the 'take' of residents that a few buildings which were moderately affected, requiring a disconnect for damaged air conditioners and roof tarps, might be spared. Each person hoped their building might prove inhabitable if, as stated, the Fire Chief went through apartments on a unit by unit basis. People hoped because they needed to hope. Few had insurance and, cast adrift as they were, they knew darned well that looters would break in and steal everything of value...which is exactly what did happen in the most seriously damaged apartments. Stonebridge Gardens is as far removed from Inverrary as Watts is from Beverly Hills and the crime rate proves it. These people of Stonebridge were shell shocked and nearly too stunned to do anything at all for themselves. People of Florida donated to help those elsewhere during hurricanes and were left in the lurch themselves and the government didn't put them up in hotels even one night...much less take care of them for months as happened elsewhere. We still have working people with mortgages living in automobiles as a result of Wilma and it's a disgrace. This affair was so badly bungled on so many levels as to be remembered as a scandal.
The Fire Chief may or may not have been correct in red tagging every building (16) at Stonebridge Gardens without inspecting each one but he has, I believe, everything to learn about humanity.
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