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Home in Maunabo affected by the floods caused by Hurricane Fiona. >Nahira Montcourt / The Weekly Journal

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Texan residents are planning a demonstration outside of Quanta’s Houston office, supporting the cancellation of the island’s contract with LUMA.

Texans scramble to send aid to Puerto Rico

Many are Puerto Ricans displaced by Hurricane Maria in 2017

Madison Choudhry, Special to The Weekly Journal

After Hurricane Fiona unleashed devastating floods on to Puerto Rico, some Dallas residents have found themselves in an unfortunate routine: trying to get news of their families still in Puerto Rico and organizing aid to send back to the island.

Ivette Román, a Texas resident who moved from Puerto Rico in 2005, said her mother and siblings in San Juan were able to avoid the worst of the damage from the floods.

However, there are those who have not been so lucky. Román described the impact of the hurricane by saying there are residents of the island who, “have no water or electricity, and did not know when those utilities would be back. They’re drinking rain water.”

Román explained she and other Texans have united and have begun to organize a supply collection drive to help gather everyday things Puerto Ricans need after the devastating floods caused by Hurricane Fiona. Currently there are tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans living in the Dallas metroplex. Many of those moved to Texas after Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017.

“We understand the devastation a hurricane can bring. This is not just something we have read about on the news. We have lived it,” said Pablo Hernández, another Puerto Rican who was displaced by Hurricane Maria.

This understanding has spurred a strong community in the Dallas area, both local residents and those of Puerto Rican descent, who immediately began to mobilize to provide help after yet another hurricane.

“We know how slow Federal support can move. This is not just a desire to help our families back home, we see this as absolutely necessity,” Hernández explained.

Hurricane Fiona knocked out power and water to most of Puerto Rico during the storm. The National Guard reported rescuing hundreds of people who were stranded unable to escape devastating floods.

As of the most recent official update, Puerto Rican officials have said, “it is too early to know the full scope of damage.” This claim is said to be because after the initial hit of Fiona an additional 15 inches of rain fell in some places of Puerto Rico as the hurricane spun away from the island. In an update to the residents of Puerto Rico governor Pedro Pierluisi reported it could take days to get lights back to the totality of the island. Fifteen days after the hurricane hit the island there are still several thousands of households still lack power. The power grid in Puerto Rico has been a source of controversy since it was destroyed by Hurricane Maria in 2017. In 2021, management of the transmission and distribution of power was taken over by LUMA Energy, a private consortium that is co-owned by Canadian company ATCO and Houstonbased Quanta Services. Since the company took over the grid, it has been the subject of protests because of continued and prolonged blackouts and energy cost hikes.

“It is an embarrassment knowing it is Texan company the one responsible for the lack of power on the island. We as a Texans know this. We must pressure the company here because there is simply not enough being done,” said Miguel Ricci, a Texas resident with family back in Puerto Rico. Ricci along with other Texan residents are planning a demonstration outside of Quanta’s Houston office, supporting the cancellation of the island’s contract with LUMA. “The island needs reliable energy,” Roman said. “The people on the island are very concerned about this, because the service is simply not reliable We know how slow Federal support can move. This is not enough.” This is not the first time Texans have just a desire to help our families showed support to Puerto Rico. Just weeks back home, we see this as after Hurricane Harvey absolutely necessity. struck Houston, the city sent 55 pallets of Pablo Hernández, displaced after supplies to the island. Hurricane Maria The city’s efforts were supported by The Houston Astros and United Airlines among other companies. During this recent storm, local grassroots organizations are trying to help people affected by Fiona. The Southern Smoke Foundation, a non-profit group founded by Houston chef Chris Shepherd, sent out a tweet urging food and beverage workers in Puerto Rico to apply for emergency relief funding if they were affected by the hurricane. “Our mission is to provide financial relief to anyone in the food and beverage industry in crisis nationwide,” said Lindsey Brown, a spokesperson for the foundation. “We want to make sure that anyone working in the industry in Puerto Rico, and affected by the hurricane, knows we have funds available to them.”