Nightmare In Florida

Time to do what Americans do best: compassionate aid to those in crisis.

It’s going to be hard to know how awful Hurricane Ian was to Florida until the sun comes up and people can get in and see just how bad it really is, but the news we got was pretty bad: a possible 18-foot storm surge, 1.8 million people without power, and massive destruction from a storm that was just two mph way from being a Category 5.

There were reports Wednesday of residents forced to cling to their roofs to escape the flooding and with the winds they endured, who knows how many were lost. You hope the deaths are minimal but just from what we know so far, it looks really bad.

It’s going to be a painful sunrise for many people and the storm may still do damage up the coast, including in parts of North Carolina.

Americans have always helped those in need and this is a good time to remember that blessed impulse. There are a lot of ways to help but the oldest and most reliable is probably still the Red Cross. Please think of the incalculable losses people faced with Ian and if you can, please consider giving generously.