TALLAHASSEE - The state warned Miami-Dade County officials hours before Hurricane Wilma struck South Florida that their lack of preparation could lead to delays in receiving water, ice and food after the storm, e-mails show.
State emergency managers said Miami-Dade counterparts were slow in designating distribution points and initially were unsure whether they would need any help, according to the e-mails, the Miami-Herald reported Thursday.
Miami-Dade officials said they were unaware the state had set deadlines for seeking aid until it was too late, and when they got the state's warning shortly before the storm hit they provided additional information.
When supplies failed to reach some areas within 24 hours after Wilma struck on Oct. 24, state officials did not disclose any problems with the local response. Gov. Jeb Bush said "If anybody wants to blame anybody, let them blame me."
Florida emergency management director Craig Fugate said he did not mention the warnings to Miami-Dade because many factors affected the relief effort and there was no reason to single anyone out.
The goal of getting aid distributed within 24 hours of Wilma's landfall was virtually unprecedented in U.S. disasters. Officials later acknowledged it probably was overly optimistic.
Miami-Dade emergency management director Carlos Castillo said local officials held up on finalizing a list of distribution centers because they were afraid the sites would be damaged by Wilma.
"Pushing commodities to a place that may not survive the storm would do us no good," Castillo said.
Castillo denied that the delay in getting information to the state was to blame for failing to meet the 24-hour distribution goal, suggesting trucks carrying supplies had difficulty getting to the sites because of debris and fuel shortages. "I don't know what caused the delay," Castillo said. "I think maybe it couldn't be helped, maybe there were unrealistic expectations."
