Cleaning Up After the Storm

by Jon Melegrito  |  August 29, 2011

With Hurricane Irene leaving a trail of destruction along the East Coast, thousands of public service workers are on the frontlines once again clearing up road hazards,  restoring electricity, water, sewer and other essential services to ensure that the public is safe from the damage inflicted by a monster storm.

The hurricane affected more than 6 million homes and businesses in 13 states and the District of Columbia during the weekend, forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents. The recovery effort, especially in flooded areas, will take days. It involves a wide range of safety and health hazards, demolition activities and road repair work.

In the wake of this devastating storm, it is heartening to know that public service workers — many are AFSCME members — are out there, working tirelessly above and beyond the call of duty. “You’re talking about firefighters, police officers, teachers, highway workers and school employees who every single day get up in the morning and they risk their lives and provide an essential public service to the citizens of this country,” says Sec.-Treas. Lee Saunders.

In an MSNBC interview on Friday, he noted the cancellation of the weekend’s activities in Washington DC, to dedicate the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. “These public service workers Dr. King fought for when he died”, Saunders points out, “are the same brave men and women who are helping repair and rebuild this country so it can recover from the storm.”

“As they did in New York City on 9/11, they will always be there where they are needed the most, dedicated to doing their jobs to make our communities safe and our country strong,” Saunders adds. “These are ordinary people who think nothing of risking their lives to do extraordinary things. They don’t run from danger. They run to it.”