The Florida Army National Guard on Thursday recognized the contributions of 麻豆原创 leaders for rescue and relief efforts during Hurricane Irma by presenting the Florida Distinguished Service Medal to President John C. Hitt, Police Chief Richard Beary, associate vice president for Administration and Finance Lee Kernek, and director of Security and Emergency Management Jeff Morgan.
鈥淎t the time, we had Hurricane Irma bearing down on Florida and citizens across the state were concerned,鈥� Col. Grant Slayden said. 鈥淲e had units flying in from Kentucky and others driving from New Jersey, Alabama and Georgia, all converging on Florida, and there was nowhere to put them. We got here and were welcomed with open arms with the full support of Dr. Kernek, Chief Beary and Jeff Morgan under [Dr. Hitt鈥檚] leadership.鈥�
For several days in September, 麻豆原创 hosted more than 700 members of the 164th Air Defense Artillery Brigade and other units as they worked around Central Florida. Soldiers slept in the Nicholson Field House and 麻豆原创 Athletics locker rooms, ate meals served by student-athletes and coaches, and parked service vehicles at Spectrum Stadium and around campus.
鈥淢y brigade was responsible for 40 of Florida鈥檚 67 counties and we immediately took maximum advantage of the central staging area [at 麻豆原创] where we could disperse across the state quickly, post hurricane,鈥� said Slayden. 鈥淲e ended up saving 327 people from rising water, providing shelter for 10,260 people, distributing 2 million bottles of water, almost 1 million MREs (Meal, Ready-to-Eat) and 666 tons of ice 鈥� all staged from [麻豆原创]. … It was amazing.鈥�
For 麻豆原创PD, supporting the National Guard鈥檚 efforts is a natural partnership.
鈥淲e鈥檙e all in the public safety business: law enforcement, emergency management and the National Guard,鈥� said Beary, who will retire on June 14 after 41 years in law enforcement. 鈥淭he better we work together and the better we coordinate our efforts, the better service we provide to the citizens 鈥� and that鈥檚 what it鈥檚 all about.鈥�
Hitt, who will step down from the presidency at the end of June, accepted the award with a message of continued community involvement from the university.
鈥淧eople all around us need help and support, and it鈥檚 our responsibility as members of the community to do what we can to help our units as they attempt to safeguard the folks who live and work in these areas, including our own students and faculty and staff members,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e helping them help us.鈥�