Post by Dick Tracy on Jun 27, 2016 22:06:09 GMT -5
June 27, 2016
Managers' Report :
Hello and good morning everyone, I hope you all had a great weekend!
We all shared a frightening experience last week and I wanted to use my time this morning to share my perspective.
At roughly 3:45pm thursday the police began pouring into the resort. At first it was 3 cars with their lights flashing traveling VERY fast. Woody and I drove down to find out what they were doing in the resort. When we arrived at catskill where they were setting up it became clear this wasn't some domestic dispute, as they were donning body armor and shields and each one had AR15 assault rifles. We were instructed to move back and we headed back to the office the whole way being passed by more and more police cars heading down where we just left. I was able to question an officer who was able to tell me they were in pursuit of an armed suspect and everyone needed to get in doors. We put out the first phonevite with very little info instructing everyone to get inside and wait for an update. It got more and more stressful as the police did not share much info and the care count rose to 50+ law enforcement vehicles crossed through the gate ranging from Wildlife officers, K9s, 2 helicopters, unmarked pickups loaded with armor-clad officers, and the HoSt age negotiation team. When the hoSt age negotiation team arrived that's when my heart sank fearing the worst.
They set up first in our parking lot until I offered them use of our air conditioned conference room. Once they set up in our office they were able to share more information with us. It was an unidentified man who carjacked a dump truck in Bartow and ditched the vehicle right along our fence line, which was where he started shooting at the helicopter. They thought they had his location pinned between the orange groves and the resort. The manhunt carried on until Friday morning, when they discovered a fuel tanker was stolen from an adjacent grove, they think he fled the area in the truck.
While this ordeal was indeed terrible I think there are a lot of positives to carry away from it. First off I want you to know you have some pretty spectacular employees and volunteers. Although I had given Bth permission to leave she refused to, instead she stayed to answer the huge volume of phone calls coming in to help keep everyone informed. Woody stayed to work security even with his wife home during the ordeal. Nacho's wife who is a care taker for many residents in the park coordinated with all the ladies she cares for to get them all together in one house. Shn after spending all day in court, stayed to help with the phones rather than go home, once they were finally let in. Tummy kept in contact, and relayed any new information to the facebook page even though being trapped in her house. leery and Clf both after being in court all day stayed at the office to make sure the situation was under control until the police left. The Sheriff's officers who once a secure perimeter was established gave armed escorts to residents who needed to return home. The hundreds of stranded residents who stayed indoors to give the police room to complete their work. There are many more examples but these are just some that come to mind and everyone maintained great spirits despite what was going on.
You should be very proud of yourselves, your staff, and your neighbors for coming through the situation not weakened, but stronger for it.
Thank you and have a Great week!
Chap
Managers' Report :
Hello and good morning everyone, I hope you all had a great weekend!
We all shared a frightening experience last week and I wanted to use my time this morning to share my perspective.
At roughly 3:45pm thursday the police began pouring into the resort. At first it was 3 cars with their lights flashing traveling VERY fast. Woody and I drove down to find out what they were doing in the resort. When we arrived at catskill where they were setting up it became clear this wasn't some domestic dispute, as they were donning body armor and shields and each one had AR15 assault rifles. We were instructed to move back and we headed back to the office the whole way being passed by more and more police cars heading down where we just left. I was able to question an officer who was able to tell me they were in pursuit of an armed suspect and everyone needed to get in doors. We put out the first phonevite with very little info instructing everyone to get inside and wait for an update. It got more and more stressful as the police did not share much info and the care count rose to 50+ law enforcement vehicles crossed through the gate ranging from Wildlife officers, K9s, 2 helicopters, unmarked pickups loaded with armor-clad officers, and the HoSt age negotiation team. When the hoSt age negotiation team arrived that's when my heart sank fearing the worst.
They set up first in our parking lot until I offered them use of our air conditioned conference room. Once they set up in our office they were able to share more information with us. It was an unidentified man who carjacked a dump truck in Bartow and ditched the vehicle right along our fence line, which was where he started shooting at the helicopter. They thought they had his location pinned between the orange groves and the resort. The manhunt carried on until Friday morning, when they discovered a fuel tanker was stolen from an adjacent grove, they think he fled the area in the truck.
While this ordeal was indeed terrible I think there are a lot of positives to carry away from it. First off I want you to know you have some pretty spectacular employees and volunteers. Although I had given Bth permission to leave she refused to, instead she stayed to answer the huge volume of phone calls coming in to help keep everyone informed. Woody stayed to work security even with his wife home during the ordeal. Nacho's wife who is a care taker for many residents in the park coordinated with all the ladies she cares for to get them all together in one house. Shn after spending all day in court, stayed to help with the phones rather than go home, once they were finally let in. Tummy kept in contact, and relayed any new information to the facebook page even though being trapped in her house. leery and Clf both after being in court all day stayed at the office to make sure the situation was under control until the police left. The Sheriff's officers who once a secure perimeter was established gave armed escorts to residents who needed to return home. The hundreds of stranded residents who stayed indoors to give the police room to complete their work. There are many more examples but these are just some that come to mind and everyone maintained great spirits despite what was going on.
You should be very proud of yourselves, your staff, and your neighbors for coming through the situation not weakened, but stronger for it.
Thank you and have a Great week!
Chap