Key West and County Officials Urge Preparedness Amid Community Concerns over Cuba
More than 70 residents attend forum focused on emergency coordination, communication and avoiding misinformation.
KEY WEST, Fla. — More than 70 residents gathered Wednesday night for a community meeting on concerns involving Cuba and the potential impact any regional instability could have on Key West and Monroe County, with officials emphasizing preparedness and coordination while stressing there is no imminent threat to the Florida Keys.
The meeting, hosted by Key West city commissioner and mayoral candidate Sam Kaufman, brought together emergency management officials, tourism leaders, business representatives and residents for what Kaufman described as “a calm, thoughtful, informative” discussion focused on preparedness rather than panic.
“This discussion was calm, thoughtful, informative, and focused on preparedness, not fear or panic,” Kaufman said in a statement following the meeting.
The issue came to a head following reporting by former Key West Citizen and Miami Herald political reporter Marc Caputo in Axios.
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Among those participating were Key West Emergency Management Director Gregory Barroso, Monroe County Commissioner Jim Scholl, representatives from the Key West Business Guild, the Chamber of Commerce, the Monroe County Tourist Development Council and local hotel industry officials.
Resident Robert Jensen, who addressed attendees on crisis management and emergency planning, previously served as a primary point of contact between federal agencies and major U.S. airlines in the years following the Oklahoma City bombing before later relocating to Key West, according to remarks made during the meeting.
Officials repeatedly stressed during the forum that there is currently no imminent threat to Key West or Monroe County.
“At the same time, there was strong agreement that preparation, communication, coordination, and accurate public information are extremely important,” Kaufman said.
Residents questioned officials about how emergency information would be communicated during a crisis, reports involving drones and activity in Cuba, coordination between local, state and federal agencies, and the role nonprofit organizations would play in distributing resources during emergencies.
Additional questions focused on how local government and the tourism industry would communicate with visitors if conditions changed and what roles the U.S. Coast Guard, military, law enforcement agencies, healthcare providers and emergency management officials would play during a regional emergency affecting the Keys.
Humanitarian concerns involving local families with relatives in Cuba were also discussed.
Kaufman said the meeting highlighted the extensive emergency response partnerships already in place throughout the Keys.
“We are fortunate to have strong emergency management operations in both the City and County, along with excellent partnerships involving the military, Coast Guard, FWC, local law enforcement, healthcare providers, nonprofits like United Way, volunteer organizations, and many others who help during emergencies and disasters,” he said.
Officials also warned residents against relying on rumors or social media speculation during uncertain situations and encouraged the public to follow trusted government and emergency management sources for accurate information.
Residents were urged to enroll in Monroe County’s Alert!Monroe emergency notification system, which distributes emergency alerts involving severe weather, evacuations, fires and public safety incidents through text and email notifications.
The meeting also underscored the political sensitivity of the issue ahead of upcoming city elections.
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All declared candidates for Key West city office attended the forum except Mayor Danise Henriquez, who has faced criticism from some residents and political opponents who argue the city has not been proactive enough in publicly addressing concerns related to Cuba and regional emergency preparedness. Key West City Manager Brian Barroso, also did not attend.
The discussion comes amid heightened public attention in the Florida Keys regarding developments in Cuba and what potential impacts instability there could have on South Florida communities with longstanding cultural, economic and family ties to the island nation.