On Aug. 21, U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez and his wife Lourdes joined Monroe County Mayor Craig Cates, Mayor Pro Tem Holly Merrill Raschein, Commissioners David Rice, Michelle Lincoln and Jim Scholl, County Administrator Roman Gastesi, Assistant County Attorney Pedro Mercado and airport director Richard Strickland at the Key West International Airport to see the recently-repaired Engineered Materials Arresting System (EMAS). Hurricane Ian severely damaged the EMAS, and Gimenez urged the federal government to approve FEMA emergency individual assistance for Monroe County.
“Congressman Gimenez continues to show up for Monroe County residents,” said Cates. “His quick action at the federal level helped our locals affected by Ian get much-needed financial help, and the hurricane damage repairs at the airport move along faster.”
An EMAS is used to slow down an airplane if it cannot stop in time. The EMAS is a unique block system that can stop an aircraft from overrunning the runway at about 80 miles per hour.
“Thanks to the congressman’s efforts, we were able to get the EMAS fixed and continue operations as usual,” said Strickland.
