There were times of intense heat, high humidity and hot tempers. There was even a day or two when it wasn’t only the wind blowing past checkpoint staff at MM 112.5 and Card Sound Road in Key Largo.

The men and women staffing the checkpoint braved elements while handling many situations that were thrown at them. For that, we sincerely say thanks. 

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, with help from municipalities up and down the islands, were at the front lines for two and a half months following an order from county officials to set up two posts in a bid to prevent a major spread of coronavirus. 

They interacted with thousands of motorists through the duration of the checkpoints. They dealt with fake stickers and counterfeit placards. They heard every story possible from those trying to make their way into the Keys, including “my friend’s getting out of jail today and I have to pick him up.”  

Nearly 20,000 cars that had no business or residency in the Keys were turned away as a result. And it’s good to note that — with proximity to what’s been the hot spot for cases in the state, Miami-Dade County — not one person who worked at the checkpoint tested positive for COVID-19. 

It was no small task with the sheer staffing required to operate the checkpoint efficiently and safely. Led by Sheriff Rick Ramsay, Don Fanelli, incident commander and sheriff’s captain out of Key Largo, and Col. Lou Caputo, the mission set forth by county leaders was executed and completed. 

Not many days were spent away from the checkpoint for Fanelli and Caputo, who closely monitored the operation day-in and day-out for some 12 hours a day. Ramsay could be spotted checking IDs and directing cars to turn around. To that, we say thank you for all the work and dedication. 

A great deal of gratitude and appreciation was shown throughout to the many who stood checking IDs and ensuring the community’s safety. It came in the form of water, lunches, buffs, masks and other gifts of thanks. Community members, chefs and nonprofit organizations all took time to drive up to checkpoints to show gratitude. 

As Ramsay notes, the collaboration among municipalities from Key Largo to Key West, which supplied staffing help at the checkpoint, was integral. It was a team effort, with assistance from, among others, Monroe County public works employees, Key Colony Beach officers and the state attorney’s office investigator.

For a while now, the Weekly has highlighted a “frontline hero of the week” that’s touched on just a few of the many in the Keys through the pandemic, including nurses and staff who’ve been at the forefront of this pandemic. Those who’ve worked to keep the community and its residents safe are true heroes. Saying thanks, handing out gifts and writing this column don’t go nearly far enough to express just how grateful we are for all the work put forth by the frontline workers in these times. 

Jim McCarthy is one of the many Western New Yorkers who escaped the snow and frigid temperatures for warm living by the water. A former crime & court reporter and city editor for two Western New York newspapers, Jim has been honing his craft since he graduated from St. Bonaventure University in 2014. In his 4-plus years in the Keys, Jim has enjoyed connecting with the community. “One of my college professors would always preach to be curious,” he said. “Behind every person is a story that’s unique to them, and one worth telling. As writers, we are the ones who paint the pictures in the readers minds of the emotions, the struggles and the triumphs.” Jim is past president of the Key Largo Sunset Rotary Club, which is composed of energetic members who serve the community’s youth and older populations. Jim is a sports fanatic who loves to watch football, hockey, mixed martial arts and golf. He also enjoys time with family and his new baby boy, Lucas, who arrived Oct. 4, 2022.