On Wednesday, September 20, 2018, Hurricane Maria slammed into the island of Puerto Rico. This was the strongest hurricane to strike the island in over 80 years. Hurricane Maria left near apocalyptic conditions  in its wake: toppled power lines, extensive flooding, and utter devastation to so many homes and structures. Even basic necessities such as fresh water, fuel and phone service have been interrupted, resulting in a growing humanitarian crisis.

Help on the Way:  According to NBC 4 New York, First Responders from New York City flew down to Puerto Rico this past Saturday, September 23. Their goal is to assist the island’s overwhelmed emergency management center. This will no doubt be a protracted clean-up effort as Puerto Rico works to rebuild.

“This is total devastation. Puerto Rico, in terms of the infrastructure, will not be the same. … This is something of historic proportions.”

Carlos Mercader, spokesman for Puerto Rico’s governor