Dixie Crystals Sugar Refinery Plant Explosion and the Human Response

I'm a nosy person. Growing up on Tybee, everyone always knows everyone else's business. So it was no surprise that a few moments after I arrived to Moon River to meet up with some folks this evening cell phones lit up to tell us about the fire at the Dixie Crystals Sugar Refinery in Port Wentworth. More than half of the room were folks who either work in or used to work in Savannah media. So someone ran up to the TV and turned it on to find some coverage. We could only get channel 3 (WSAV) and 11 (WTOC). WSAV didn't seem concerned about interrupting Deal or No Deal but eventually put up a crawler, but WTOC was all over it from the moment it started until even now as I write this post (11:30 pm). At one point, Sonny Dixon even stated "please don't call us about network programming; we aren't going to stop our coverage tonight." Kudos to them for understanding that the lives of our community members is more important than the season premier of Survivor (we noticed that WSAV kept showing their game shows and had a note in the bottom right hand corner promoting a new TV show premiering at 10). Around 8:30 we were finally able to tune in to 22 (WJCL) through the bad reception, but most in the room were not a fan of the special guest in the studio and didn't understand why she was there, so we went back to WTOC and kept it there until we left around 10 pm. I have to say what wonderful coverage they had from the scene, the hospitals and the studio, utilizing all their staff in every capacity.

I think what has really touched me is how all the surrounding communities responded, sending EMS and Firefighters from Bryan County, Bulloch County, Effingham County, Southside Fire, Garden City and Tybee Island. I loved watching the live shots of all the ambulances lived down HWY 25 just waiting to be activated. Everyone on camera seemed so patient, eager to do what they can to help save their neighbors. Hats off to the Red Cross for establishing a comfort center to aid the responders and having volunteers to aid families at the hospitals. But I was most impressed by the area hotels who offered free rooms to out of town family, workers who can't get home, and emergency personnel.

Memorial Health is to also be commended for their immediate response and preparation for all the trauma. It was amazing to see the shots on WTOC of all the stretchers waiting as the first run of ambulances made it into the parking lot. It seemed as if everything was calm and under control, even as Georgia State Patrol came in to handle traffic.

As Sonny Dixon explained, this plant is a huge part of the Port Wentworth community. There are families who have worked there for generations, so this is a huge loss not to mention the injuries that can be sustained from the explosion. Having lived here most of my life, I can't remember anything this big having ever happened before. Port Wentworth is even having to divert water supply from one part of town to the plant site in order to help fight the fire which continues to burn after 4.5 hours. It seems as if WSAV is only "On Your Side" when it doesn't interfere with their network programming (ps - edited to say that is is now 12:06 am and WTOC is still going strong with their continuous coverage with no signs of slowing down soon).

So as I sit here unable to turn off the coverage because of my own selfish need to know what is going on, I just have to say how great it feels to be a part of a community that can jump into action for our neighbors. It's moments like this that really help to renew my faith in humanity.

My thoughts and prayers are with all the workers involved and their families.