Florida police emergency-response team drank beer before city was slammed with Hurricane Irma: report
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}After requests from The Miami Herald, the Florida city of North Bay Village released video that reportedly shows the head of the city’s emergency-response unit bringing in beers before a hurricane. (North Bay Village)
An emergency-response unit in Florida drank Coronas while on duty the night before Hurricane Irma made landfall, The Miami Herald reported on Monday.
The paper reported that the 12-person unit was the city’s only team on the ground and they were encouraged to drink by their commander.
The city reportedly released footage that showed the commander lugging the beer into City Hall. Lt. James McCready attempted to cover security cameras with party cups, the paper reported, citing witnesses. McCready was removed from the team and six others were reprimanded, the report said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Officer Walter Sajdak reportedly came across the party and reported it to a superior officer.
"I was upset about lives being put at risk, lives being put in danger," Sajdak said, according to the report. "Lieutenant McCready, who was in charge of our Landfall Team, had jeopardized the lives of the officers that were working and the residents by drinking alcohol."
The hurricane hit the Florida Keys on Sept. 10, destroying 1,200 homes and damaging 3,000