The photo was taken at the Key West Doubletree Gran Key Resort where the Key West Lodging Association in conjunction with the Monroe County Tourist Development Council hosted the annual Hurricane Preparedness Conference for the tourism industry, which includes marine related businesses. The event was held on May 21st.

Pictured in the photo are the presenters including Dr. Rick Knabb (in the center), the National Hurricane Center Director. Also in the photo are the Monroe County Administrator Roman Gastasi, far left first row and next to him is Hon. Heather Carruthers, former county mayor and current county commissioner. At the far right is former county mayor and former commissioner Keith Douglass of Douglass Marine Company LLC Capt. Douglass spoke to the assembly made of local businesses, public sector employees and non-profit organizations.

Capt. Douglass spoke about the need for businesses to not only be prepared for a natural disaster but should be working together with each other to ensure that needed recovery supplies get to where they are needed most. “Where’s the Calvary?” Capt. Douglass commented….”We’re the Calvary” and waiting for the government to provide what we need will dramatically lengthen the time it takes to recover.” History has proven this to be the case.

Monroe County is part of a “Quad County” (Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach) that has established a consortium of public and private sector partners committed to helping each other to provide goods and services following a natural Disaster. Capt. Douglass head’s the Keys non-profit team who will work with businesses and government to coordinate the delivery of supplies to stricken areas.