Puerto Rico Needs a Helping Hand

Here at ME&A we are proud to have a long-term personal and professional relationship with Puerto Rico, going back more than 30 years. Two of our senior executives are from Puerto Rico, and Thomas England, our CEO, represented the city of San Juan in Washington, D.C., for eight years. ME&A still maintains an office in San Juan, where ME&A Senior Vice President Carlos Beale coordinates numerous activities for the firm throughout Latin America and elsewhere. So far, it has been almost impossible to reach Carlos, but the day after the hurricane struck he was able to email us: “We are OK. No power, water & very limited Internet & our surroundings are devastated.” Communication since then has been almost nonexistent.

Hurricane Maria storm damage in Puerto Rico

Hurricane Maria has left the island without electricity and extremely limited communications. Even with outside help, it is estimated that it will take six months to restore electricity on this tropical island. Stocks of food and fuel are running dangerously low, and as an island, restocking is extremely complicated and time consuming. Clean water and sewage services are not available to hundred of thousands. Many villages have been completely destroyed and access to them is limited with many roads and bridges washed away or blocked by debris.

Given the warm temperatures, no air conditioning and almost no refrigeration, the potential for a catastrophe of the highest order is imminent.

Puerto Rico flooding

Here at ME&A we are working to help our friends, colleagues, and all the citizens of the island in whatever way we can. We ask that, if at all possible, you contribute in some fashion to help save lives and assuage the suffering of so many fellow Americans. We are highlighting United for Puerto Rico in this post because 100 percent of its donation proceeds go to helping natural disaster victims in Puerto Rico.

Over the next few weeks we will follow up with stories on our website about some of the ongoing restoration activities as Puerto Rico reaches out for help to rise up from this horrific hurricane.