Thirty years ago, at 4:52 a.m. on August 24, 1992, Hurricane Andrew made landfall at the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula. With sustained wind speeds of up to 165 miles an hour, it tore across the foot of the state, demolished homes, toppled trees and utility poles, and tossed around cars and boats.
As Floridians, as Americans, and as Red Crossers, Hurricane Andrew remains etched in our memories. The storm left historic devastation in its wake, upending countless lives and causing an estimated $26.5 billion in direct damages. Tragically, Andrew took 65 lives in the U.S. and the Bahamas, most of them in Miami-Dade County.
The massive response to Andrew was historic as well, marked by the compassion people have for their neighbors and strangers alike.
More than 14,000 Red Cross workers, mostly volunteers, ultimately joined this long and arduous relief effort. These were local volunteers--many impacted by the storm themselves—as well as individuals who came from other parts of the state and people who traveled from far away and stayed here in Florida for weeks and months. They helped at shelters, they drove Emergency Response Vehicles bringing food and supplies to communities in need, they supported at recovery centers, they provided emotional support, they offered compassion, and so much more.
The Red Cross mission is to prevent and alleviate human suffering by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors, and that is exactly what we witnessed 30 years ago.
To all who helped then and who help today, we offer our deepest gratitude.
Written by Marjie Lambert, American Red Cross Public Affairs