#pensacolastrong
Hurricane Sally was … a surprise. Not many realized the impact the storm would end up having on our Pensacola and Gulf Coast community. While Aero serves North America and the Caribbean, our pilots, our staff, our families and many of our VIPs live and work here. And it was my family’s first one.
The damage from such a slow moving storm meant lots of steady wind and worse, lots of rain. This sent barges into our bridges and uprooted centuries-old trees. The aftermath was and is still heavy on a community already struggling with normalcy in the face of COVID - with its restrictions on human contact and the impact to the economy. Now Sally added insurance claims, 2-hour commutes (thanks Skanska) and exhausting days of cleanup. It sought to alienate us even more, but here in Florida, as I’m told is always the case, it did the opposite.
Neighbors and people from around the country pitched in and began the clean-up. In a mere few days, trees were cut and placed neatly on the curb, water was restored, and families cheered traveling crews from all over the country who drove in to restore our power. I would never suggest you try out a hurricane, but as someone who never grew up with them, it is a sight to see after. Not just the damage, but the people coming together. Race, creed, sex, income or age didn’t matter. Everyone helped and got help where they needed it. Little annoyances that would previously start a Facebook war, no longer mattered (for a little while anyway). And the post-storm stillness was startling. Without power, you could actually see stars, have conversations with your kids without a TV blaring, and go to bed without checking your phone. I was thankful for AC, but that calmness still sits with me.
We obviously didn’t feel like writing much during any of this (and we didn’t have internet), but now, looking back, it is obvious that we are all eager to get back to who we are as humans. When we travel, we dont just want to get away, we want to connect. We want to meet clients face to face, meet new people, experience new places in person (not from behind a screen), and want to reconnect with our friends, family and loved ones. For all of these reasons, that is why Aero is here. #penscolastrong ~ Cleve
