With few needing it, truckloads of emergency ice and food

[Keith]

With few needing it, truckloads of emergency ice and food pile up in S. Florida

If there is another hurricane this year, there are plenty of supplies -- about 375 trucks full of ice, water, packaged food and other provisions sit at the South Florida Fairgrounds.

State officials still were trying to figure out Tuesday what to do with tons of surplus Hurricane Wilma supplies now that distribution centers are closed.

State and federal officials secured provisions to give victims in immediate need and initially the demand was acute. But as power came back, lines for things such as ice dwindled until all county distribution sites had closed by Thursday.

On Tuesday, trucks loaded with federal and state contracted goods intended for disaster relief sat in rows, many with their engines idling to keep batteries charged or provide air conditioning for drivers. Some trucks have been at the fairgrounds for more than a week.

"This is the most absolutely ridiculous thing that I've ever seen in my life as far as waste," said one truck driver from Central Florida, who asked not to have his name used for fear he'd lose his job. "You've got millions and millions of dollars worth of food, water and ice just sitting here. Each trucker is getting $800 [a day], some of them are getting more, to sit here. "

[Catsmeow]

We have friends who live in the disaster zone for Wilma and we spoke with them last week. They said it was terrible. While they had just had power restored, there was no food left in the grocery stores.

According to our friends, the stores were bare and many people couldn't even get to food distribution centers or grocery stores because there was NO gas. Without gas, you're up a creek.

Our friends managed to get to the store ONLY because he had a motorcycle with some gas still in the engine, but the grocery stores had virtually nothing left on the shelves.

So, even with electricity on..and water back online, food and gas shortages are a problem.

Edited November 10, 2005 by catsmeow

[Keith]

But if people are in such need for food, why don't the trucks in this article go where the people are instead of sitting around???

[Catsmeow]

That would make sense, wouldn't it? I dunno....you'd think they'd manage to do a "meals on wheels" scenario and feed the hungry.

These are "hired workers"...that's all. They get paid regardless. The smart thing to do is take the food to the people in need...