Mass. officers depart to Puerto Rico to aid in hurricane relief efforts

BOSTON — Today, the first rotation of law enforcement officers from all across Massachusetts departed from Logan Airport to Puerto Rico to assist in hurricane relief efforts on Saturday morning.

Representatives from the Massachusetts State Police, Boston Police, and Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) left Boston at around 10:00 a.m. today.

More than one hundred officers - many with family on the island - volunteered to respond to the calls for help where twenty-four of them are going on the first of three contingents.

"It's in our heart to help someone, you know they're in need, they need help, they need assistance, they're asking for help, so that's where we're gonna go. It's personal, to us it's personal," said Boston Police detective Luis A. Cruz.

These officers are part of the previously announced group deploying to Puerto Rico under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC).

Puerto Rico was devastated by Hurricane Maria more than two weeks ago and its effects continue to impact those on the island. As of Friday night, 83% of the island's cell sites were still out of service.

"My family says 'estamos bien, we're ok'. What that means is they are alive. My grandmother's house is gone," said BPD officer Izzy Marrero.

The aid, however, didn't stop with those who got on the plane. In Jamaica Plain, other private sector volunteers made their Saturday count as they collected donations to send on a barge to the island.

Kamaul Reid owns Real Moving and Storage and his wife is Puerto Rican. When he heard about the devastation and saw the response from the US government, he said he could no longer wait.

"We're not gonna wait for 'I hope the government's response is what it should be,'" Reid said. "22 pallettes is what fills a 45-foot container, it (ships) after we fill it. They're expected to pick it up on Tuesday morning, then it goes to New Jersey. Because its going on the first barge out, it should arrive 7 days after that."

Reid's 11-year-old daughter pitched in with the rest of the volunteers, proving no one is too young to make a difference.

"I just wanted to make sure my family was OK," Tattianna said. "It makes me feel really happy that we're getting support."

The island's treasury secretary says Puerto Rico's government will run out of money by the end of the month without help from Congress. The cash shortage would lead to a government shutdown and would severely hinder Puerto Rico's recovery efforts.

Members of Chelsea PD are among those Mass officers heading to Puerto Rico for the two week aid mission.

Only 10% of the island's power has been restored and only half of the population currently has access to drinking water.

Real Moving Co. will be outside the field at the English School in Jamaica Plain again tomorrow - they need 22 pallets to fill the shipping container, which departs New Jersey on Tuesday.

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