July 25, 2021 2:45 PM ET
By Sharron “Charito” Henley CWCNews.org
A South Florida city known as The Town of Surfside famous for warm sunshine, palm trees, breezy beaches, and celebrity sightings, was bracing itself for summer vacations and returning to a sense of normalcy mid-pandemic.
But what happened overnight on June 24, 2021, wasn’t remotely the catastrophe Surfside had in their 2020 emergency management plans. The Champlain Towers South, a 12-story beachfront condominium in the Miami suburb of Surfside, Florida, partially collapsed in the middle of a busy week, at approximately 1:25 am.
Despite a small handful of residents escaping the collapse, many remained trapped in the concrete debris. Echoes of despair and desperation were seen on every news media outlet, until a young child was rescued from the debris, visibly shaken, but alive.
Dr. Steve Gallon, III, School Board Member and Vice Chair of Miami Dade County Public Schools, the 4th largest school district in the United States, explained the districts involvement during the Surfside Collapse aftermath. “Miami-Dade County Public Schools remains committed to deploying all available resources, including emergency supplies, food, and crisis counseling, to assist students, employees and families who have been affected by the tragedy in Surfside.” Said Gallon.
Gallon further explained that “M-DCPS has a longstanding commitment to the residents of Miami-Dade County affected by the tragedy regardless of age or enrollment status. We are currently partnering with our local United Way in Operation Helping Hands to provide support for affected families. The District’s Crisis Management team has been deployed to assist families in need.”
Florida Senator and Attorney Jason Pizzo, servicing District 38 , which includes the Town of Surfside, tweeted images of the site, showing the property where the 12-story Champlain Towers South once stood, as several recovery workers used a crawler loader to collect remaining debris.
The United Way of Miami Dade County is looking for volunteers to assist the victims of Surfside. Become a Relief Emergency Volunteer and sign up at United Way Volunteer .
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