The Florida Keys emerged from hurricane season relatively unscathed, and celebrated on Nov. 30, the last day of the storm season, by setting the red-and-black hurricane flag on fire at Truman Waterfront.
In U.S. maritime warning flag systems, a red square flag with a black square in the middle is used to indicate a storm warning. The use of two such flags together denotes a hurricane force wind warning or a hurricane warning.
Key West Mayor Teri Johnston spoke at the annual flag burning, which included members of the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard, as well as enthusiastic members of the tongue-in-cheek Conch Republic Navy.
Paul Menta, owner of Key West’s First Legal Rum Distillery, donated the rum that was used as an accelerant to set the flag on fire.
