The Summation Weekly
Community
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3F
September 23, 2020
HOW DOES AMERICA KNOW WHAT AMERICA NEEDS? BY JOSH NEWBY The answer is the census. Coming of Age isn’t going to bury the lede or make you work for the answer. Nope, if you want community centers and Meals on Wheels, schools for your grandchildren and Medicaid and Medicare for your loved ones, you have got to fill out the census. Fill it out right now at my2020census.gov, tell a family member or friend to do the same, and you can stop reading. When asked when the national census was due, after Coronavirus delayed the initial schedule, Atlanta Assistant Regional Census Manager Marilyn Stephens provided a simple answer: “Today.” Remarkably, that is still the answer. The census is due today. Why the urgency? Well, it’s a Constitutional imperative and is a uniquely universal civic experience. It also helps with apportionment and redistricting, but you don’t care about any of that. You care about the kitchen table economics of it all, and take it from Council on Aging, take it from your community lead-
ers and the people who have come and gone before you: there is probably no bigger determinant of your economic wellbeing outside your education and upbringing than the census. If you receive Social Security, Medicaid or Medicare; if you visit a health clinic, benefit from SNAP or WIC or even play bingo at a community center, you are a beneficiary of correct census data. “The primary reason we conduct the census is apportionment, which means a community’s or a state’s voice to those who make the decisions,” said Marilyn Stephens, assistant regional census manager for the Atlanta Region. “The louder your voice, the wider the pipeline of resources is. Essential programs are funded based on census numbers, like healthcare services, Medicaid, Medicare, and community health centers. The census supports viable neighborhoods and good education, Meals on Wheels and so much more.” But if you don’t fill out the census, surely those things will still exist, right? It’s not like they go away. We yield the
PENSACOLA FIRE AND POLICE RESCUE RESIDENTS FROM HOUSE FIRE DURING HURRICANE As Hurricane Sally made landfall and brought 100+ mph winds and torrential rainfall to the Pensacola area, Pensacola Fire Department dispatch received a desperate call for help in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Sept. 16. A house was on fire, and two residents were standing on their porch in the middle of a hurricane to escape the flames. Another resident was still inside the home. Like other first responders in the area, Pensacola Fire Department was temporarily not responding to calls due to unsafe conditions from Hurricane Sally – but they couldn’t let this one go. “In our line of work, when something like that comes in, that’s when it’s go time for us,” Pensacola Fire Battalion Chief Charles Walters said. “We’re willing to risk everything, so we made the call to go ahead and send companies and respond. Because had we not responded, it might have been a horrible thing – so we risked everything in a storm.” As Engine 1 and Engine 2 made their way through the horrendous weather conditions to get to the fire at a residence on Ninth Avenue, Pensacola Police Department Sgt. James Daniels heard the same call from dispatch while staging at Pensacola International Airport during the hurricane. Like Pensacola Fire Department, Sgt. Daniels made the decision to respond. “We were told the same thing, that we were only responding for life or death, and it was going to be based on a hard call and a decision of the supervisors based on the conditions,” Sgt. Daniels said. “I made the call to have myself and my officer go out there…I would rather push through the weather and get to them than to not be able to help.” The hurricane conditions presented many obstacles as PFD and PPD drove to the house fire, only able to drive about 25 mph at times due to low visibility and wind speeds. “The wind was pushing you over, the rain was coming down sideways and the streets were flooded,” Pensacola Fire Captain Jarrod Gruber said. “Like you can imagine right in the middle of a hurricane, it was pitch black and the streets were covered in downed trees, power lines, you name it.” Despite the dangerous conditions, Sgt. Daniels said all three PPD officers and two airport officers who were with him at the airport were eager to respond to the call. “They literally all were ready and falling behind me, and I told them some of them had to stay,” Sgt. Daniels said. “Our C shift I’m assigned to,
that group of officers and the city as a whole, we have a lot of young officers. Well you can tell they’re definitely doing this job and this career for the right reasons – and it shows there, because you have to hold them back and tell them not to go, they’re so eager to help.” When first responders made it to the residence, flames and smoke were visible, and they were told one resident was still inside. Firefighters were able to get the individual safely out of the home and extinguish the fire, keeping it contained in the garage where it started. Sgt. Daniels and PPD Officer Wayne Berthiaume transported the three residents to the Pensacola Bay Center shelter to take refuge from the storm. Pensacola Fire Department and Pensacola Police Department both attributed the successful response to the great teamwork between everyone involved. “It was definitely two city divisions coming to help out someone else,” Battalion Chief Walters said. “We couldn’t have done it without them.” Pensacola Fire Chief Ginny Cranor said she was incredibly impressed with the response by her team, along with PPD, who all put their lives on the line to ensure the safety of others. “I’m so proud of them,” Chief Cranor said. “Their training and preparation as firefighters – and sheer humanity – were on full display. These guys left their own families, not knowing what Sally was going to do, and saved others. It is truly inspiring.” Pensacola Police Chief Tommi Lyter echoed Chief Cranor’s sentiments. “I can’t emphasize enough how much I appreciate our officers and their willingness to risk their lives every day for people they’ve never met,” Chief Lyter said. “Stories like this are a testament to the dedication and selflessness of our first responders in the City of Pensacola, and I’m so proud of their dedication and willingness to make sacrifices every day to protect and serve our citizens.” Mayor Grover Robinson agreed, also expressing his gratitude to everyone involved. “Heroic stories like this happen every day in the City of Pensacola, but we don’t always get the opportunity to hear about them or recognize those who put their lives in danger to save others,” Mayor Robinson said. “I’m so proud of and thankful for the Pensacola Fire Department and Pensacola Police Department for their selfless actions during this call and many other calls like it where lives have been saved thanks to their dedication. I truly appreciate their service and commitment to keeping our city safe.”
floor again to Ms. Stephens. “The saddest stories I hear are about neighborhoods that need a community center, for example,” said Stephens. “They need a community center, everyone knows there are huge numbers of people that would benefit, but the numbers on the census don’t support the need in the community. The census is how we know what we need.” The census is how we know what we need. That’s a powerful statement. Do you think the feds couldn’t care less about you? Do you think the talking heads on TV are too preoccupied with their political posturing and their mutual funds to care if you get your Meals on Wheels? Well, imagine how little they’ll care if they don’t even know you exist. Like it or not, you have two voices in our civilized society: voting and the census. And I know as well as you do that you need every voice you can get. So why do communities, especially communities of color, seem so reluctant to fill out the census? “A lot of it is historical mistrust of
government,” said Stephens. “The three-fifths compromise and later disenfranchisement of black people created an attitude and a culture of not wanting to be counted. We have to reverse that.” That makes total sense. I wouldn’t want to be counted either if I knew the government was going to use it to deport me or haul me off to jail or otherwise persecute me. But census data is kept private and confidential as part of federal law, and every census employee takes an oath to protect that data under threat of $250,000 fine and prison time. And believe us, every census taker out there just wants to make sure you get yours. Because you know who is definitely getting theirs? The Villages. That’s right, Sumter County in Florida routinely tops the list of the nation’s most responsive. How do America, the decision-makers, and the purse-keepers know what you need? Because you use your voice. The census is due today. What are you waiting for?
CITY OF PENSACOLA HURRICANE SALLY RECOVERY UPDATE #3 City of Pensacola staff have been working diligently to clear downed trees from city roadways, restore traffic signals, clear stormwater ponds, assess damages and more since Hurricane Sally made landfall. City Public Works and Facilities, Parks and Recreation, Inspection Services and Sanitation Services staff began recovery work as soon as it was safe to do so after Hurricane Sally, and the city has also hired several contractors to help expedite the recovery efforts. The public’s patience is appreciated as crews continue to work throughout the city. City Hurricane Sally Recovery Summary as of 4:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21: • All of the city’s 92 signalized intersections are working. • All major stormwater ponds are being pumped down successfully, and storm inlets/pipes are being cleared by city crews. • Damage assessments of city building facilities have been completed. The current damage estimate for city building facilities is at approximately $10 million. • City Parks and Recreation facilities are currently being assessed for damages. All city community centers have been assessed for damages, along with Osceola Golf Course. The damage assessments will continue this week. • 353 trees have been reported blocking roadways so far, and approximately 345 of those have been cleared. All remaining blockages
CITY OF PENSACOLA RECYCLING TEMPORARILY ON HOLD Due to significant damage from Hurricane Sally at the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority’s Materials Recycling Facility, recycling for City of Pensacola Sanitation customers is temporarily on hold. City of Pensacola Sanitation Services Department uses ECUA’s recycling facility to process recyclable materials from City Sanitation customers, and
should be cleared within the next 24 hours. If there is a downed tree blocking your street (within City of Pensacola limits) and it has not been removed by Tuesday, Sept. 22, please call Parks and Recreation at 850436-5670. • Damage assessments of city parks and waterfront assets are currently taking place. Preliminary damage estimates are expected to be complete within the next 24 hours. The current damage estimate for city parks and waterfront assets is at approximately $10 million - $12 million. • A total of 15 crews (10 city crews and five contractor crews) began picking up debris today. More crews will be added later this week to expedite debris pickup. • City staff went out with FEMA’s Damage Assessment Team today and will go out again tomorrow for additional damage assessments. • The city distributed over 1,000 tarps Sunday, Sept. 20 at Fire Stations 1 and 6 and Monday, Sept. 21 at several city community centers. • Private property damage assessment is currently at $15 million in the City of Pensacola. Drivers are urged to use extra caution on the roads and watch for downed trees, power lines and debris. Please remember to treat intersections with traffic signal outages as four-way stops. Please stay tuned to the City of Pensacola’s website and Facebook page for updates on Hurricane Sally recovery and impacts to city services.
the facility is not accepting recyclables until further notice due to the damage sustained during the storm. City of Pensacola Sanitation customers are asked to only use their black garbage cans until further notice since materials will not be recycled. Recycling is expected to resume late October, but will be dependent on when repairs to the facility are completed and ECUA is able to accept recyclable materials. Please stay tuned to the City of Pensacola’s website and Facebook page for updates on Hurricane Sally and impacts to city services.
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