The recovery efforts in Puerto Rico are going to take MONTHS. As pointed out in a previous post, the damage that Hurricane Maria inflicted upon the island is indescribable. This emotional interview from San Juan’s Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz is worth watching.

https://youtu.be/q3xbEgKpmOA

So much gratitude, but at the same time providing a very clear reality check on what everyone living on that island has been dealing with since Hurricane Irma’s aftermath and now Maria!

Mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico shares harrowing details of rescue missions: "Our bodies are so tired, but our souls are so full of strength" pic.twitter.com/Q3DdKEDrS4

— David Wright (@DavidWright_CNN) September 26, 2017

"We're doing all we can & the worst fear is that we cannot get to everyone in time" Mayor of San Juan sits down @DavidBegnaud in Puerto Rico pic.twitter.com/gc34lmDUBI

— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) September 26, 2017

Puerto Rico is an American territory. Mayor Cruz is correct, they need to ramp up the security but stop the slow assessment process and start getting the diesel, generators, water, food, and medicine into people’s hands.

However, many are working to get the supplies on land and staged so everything can be delivered. That includes our military. Helicopter troops from the USS Kearsarge have conducted medical evacs and delivered nearly 25,000 pounds of supplies to the island. Eight UH-60 helicopters are now deployed to help deliver much needed supplies and fuel to cities and towns inland that are cut off from road travel due to the extensive damage.

Six days after Maria laid waste to the island, grocery stores along with some Walgreens and Sam’s Clubs are reopening. However, their supplies are incredibly limited.

Mercedes Caro shook her head in frustration as she emerged from the SuperMax in the Condado neighborhood of San Juan with a loaf of white bread, cheese and bananas.

“There is no water and practically no food,” she said. “Not even spaghetti.”

Maria Perez waited outside a Pueblo supermarket in a nearby part of San Juan, hoping to buy some coffee, sugar and maybe a little meat to cook with a gas stove that has enough propane for about a week more. “We are in a crisis,” she said. “Puerto Rico is destroyed.”

-Snip

Some disappointed shoppers were also sharply aware that there are others on the island in a worse situation. Caro began to weep as she talked about her four grandchildren in Rincon, the western town that has been largely cut off from aid shipments as well as contact with the outside world. “Not knowing is so hard,” she said, turning to walk off.

The electric grid across the island was problematic even before the hurricanes hit. Now the island is without power and a significant portion of the island won’t be back online for another month or more.

Broken electricity poles and streetlights list into the middle of highways. Satellite images show an island devoid of light. Cellular phone service is non-existent.

Hurricane Maria’s devastation of the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico last week left the entire island and its 3.4 million residents without power.

Meanwhile people, especially certain politicians and celebrities are taking a swipe at President Trump for not doing enough to help Puerto Rico recover.

Mr. President shut the fuck up about NFL. Do something about our people in need in #PuertoRico. We are American citizens too.

— Marc Anthony (@MarcAnthony) September 25, 2017

Hillary Clinton: I'm not sure Trump knows Puerto Ricans are Americans https://t.co/6Jfz1rFiol pic.twitter.com/BURbzLBCfB

— HuffPost Politics (@HuffPostPol) September 26, 2017

Outrageous & unsurprising that our President won't race to help fellow Americans, so we have to do our part. Here:https://t.co/6GlwORoef5

— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) September 26, 2017

Well, as is being pointed out, jumping to conclusions to make a political point ensures lots of rakes are being stepped on.

https://twitter.com/DR0806/status/912439353170853888

Must be great to be one of the 10,000 FEMA workers in Puerto Rico working tirelessly, only to check Twitter and be informed you don't exist.

— Passionate love in the hayloft (@HashtagGriswold) September 26, 2017

Grandma, it's not like Haiti where you can squeeze some money out of them. https://t.co/A71jUu0MAT

— Rschrim (@Rschrim) September 26, 2017

OUCH.

https://twitter.com/fema/status/912340037882216449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpjmedia.com%2Ftrending%2F2017%2F09%2F25%2Fpuerto-ricos-governor-dismantles-media-attacks-trumps-response-hurricane-irma%2F

Yes, we’d all like to waive a magic wand and save everyone, restore power asap, and get supplies where they are needed. However, the reality is that won’t happen as easily as anyone thinks it can.

• A majority of the roads and highways are impassible. Same with many of the streets.
• Fuel is being rationed in an attempt to keep some available to hospitals and those who need it most.
• When fuel is scarce, that means that perishable food items can’t be kept safely, thus food shortages will continue
• The electrical grid is old and totally compromised by Hurricane Maria
• Until roads are safely cleared and secure staging areas are set up, the logistics of delivering to folks who need it the most can be hampered if people can’t get there
• Looting will be an issue
• The finances of Puerto Rico will have a negative effect on recovery efforts.

What @ricardorossello is asking Washington D.C. to do for Puerto Rico pic.twitter.com/8p1u16dx6R

— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) September 25, 2017

In other words, all the rescue efforts will be in vain and to the detriment of those who live on the island if the rescue and recovery efforts are haphazard in nature.

Mayor Cruz is right. Numerous parties need to get their SH** together. That includes the celebrities and would be politicians who continue to armchair quarterback out of spite, ignorance, and frustration.