I’m in Florida for the first deployment of my new job. I need to take a little care – my new employer is very attentive to their public imagine and keeps very close tabs on where their name gets mentioned on-line. They also have very particular rules about what employees may, and may not, post. So. You will not be seeing their name today. At least not from me. No need to poke the bear this early in our relationship.

I find the magnitude of resources deployed to Florida to be absolutely staggering. Water and land based search and rescue, medical support, communications support, food, water, shelter. All in shocking quantities. And people. There are 2,400 of us on the ground along with the support of myriad agencies employing most of the letters of the alphabet. And the State of Florida are no slackers on what they bring to the table.

So many resources to help so many people in an area so devastated. A ton of good works. And yet, despite improvements, those with the least are still difficult to help. Those that were homeless before the storm have lost support systems and the housing shortage is worse after the storm. There is a rule that any structure with “substantial” damage must, when repaired, be brought up to current storm and flood codes. That is fine for a $500k home. But when your home was only worth $60k to start, it doesn’t take much for damage to be substantial. And you probably have no additional resources available. The rule is a responsible use of tax payer funds, but it has not yet found a way to equitably support those with the fewest reserves. I don’t have an answer. And I’m very proud of the good that is done. I just think there is room for significant improvement in equity, especially when we know this will become an increasingly common type of event.

The people I work with are fabulous. So much talent and dedication. I have never worked in an organization with such a diverse demographic. I had thought I would be deployed for thirty days, and maybe then extended for another thirty, maxing out at 90 days. But the work here is voluminous. I think I may be here for the winter. Pending the moods of me and my employer.

I think I was steered in a good direction regarding a way to use my talents to give back to those at the intersection of wealth inequality and climate change. That the work is also stimulating is a bonus.