I noticed that several of the locals viewed confrontation as undesirable. Constructive criticism wasn’t always positively received, especially coming from a woman. People sometimes talked over me as I tried to explain a procedure or provide constructive feedback about a job task. A casual attitude regarding safety compliance presented an issue with a small percentage of local workers. For example, one day, I spotted a man trying to locate a leak under his semitrailer truck using a flashlight. The man’s body was perpendicularly situated between two large tires. The truck’s ignition was running, and there were no wheel immobilizers in place to keep the tires from rolling. Another man stood next to him holding a flashlight. I walked over to intervene, but the man dismissed me. A safety officer immediately began speaking to the man in Spanish. The man explained to the safety officer that he had his own mechanic shop. He saw nothing wrong with what he was doing and grew quite defensive about the whole situation.  Differences in attitudes regarding time management presented additional challenges, as mainland U.S. culture stresses punctuality but Puerto Rican culture is more relaxed about timeliness. Management also experienced difficulties with employee retention during the holiday season. Puerto Ricans start celebrating the holidays on Christmas Eve and continue up through Three Kings Day (January 6), and this is one of the most important Puerto Rican religious traditions. Fears of manpower limitations were areas of concern for mission operations. Management adjusted work force scheduling by allotting time off to affected employees.  Field and administrative workers were stressed as they fulfilled project deliverables, and with that pressure came the added responsibility of staying safe on the job. Workers were subjected to a plethora of hazards, including noise from operating diesel generators and heavy machinery; falling debris, which included live (high-voltage) electrical wires; and moving machine parts. Other notable stressors were fatigue, flammable chemicals, heat stress, contaminated media (soil and water), poor air quality, slips and falls in rain-soaked locations, insects and pests, repetitive motions, and whole-body vibration from fleet operations. Administrative workers assigned to temporary workspaces in office trailers were subjected to diesel exhaust and particulate matter from nearby haul-and-install operations. Concerned about workers’ health and safety, I offered to advise the safety officer on industrial hygiene and safety-specific issues (when applicable), and addressed inadequate ventilation, fungal contamination, indoor air quality, nuisance dust, and other stressors. Work site evaluations and job hazard analyses were used to identify and control safety and health hazards. Current exposure controls (that is, personal protective equipment) were re-evaluated, stressors in high-hazard areas were identified, and task-specific monitoring plans were developed to address specific chemical, environmental, and physical hazards as well as ergonomic risk factors. FEMA has since transitioned relief efforts from disaster response to recovery, placing infrastructure development in the hands of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. As of early April, an estimated 200,000 families and businesses were still without power; however, this number continues to drop over time. More than 2,000 generators have been installed around the island. Through the combined efforts of FEMA, USACE, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, and other industries, reliable power will soon be restored to the entire island.  In 2006, AIHA published the white paper “Industrial Hygienists’ Role and Responsibilities in Emergency Preparedness and Response.” It called for development of a professional credentialing system that merges emergency disaster management and industrial hygiene. Such a system would ensure that workers’ health is promptly addressed and protected in all phases of a response. In the present crisis, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico should be included in disaster response and recovery policy decisions. AIHA could play a more active role by collaborating with other government agencies to develop a document that critiques the effectiveness and the feasibility of existing health and safety requirements from an IH perspective as they relate to Hurricane Maria disaster response and recovery efforts. Summarizing lessons learned from the experience in Puerto Rico could be useful in future disaster planning. My time in Puerto Rico will be forever etched in my memory. Driving with a friend along the coast to the vibrant beach town of Loiza, the area hardest hit by both Irma and Maria, was most memorable. I spoke with locals about their horrific experiences, both during and after the hurricane, their struggles, their heartaches, and their desire to survive. A petite elderly woman with silver hair and ebony skin directed us to grab bread and water from a nearby aid truck. From afar, we watched as people stood in the sun waiting for food, water, and ice. My friend and I declined the woman’s offer and identified ourselves as relief workers for the power mission. She graciously thanked us for our contributions and smiled as she walked toward her destination. Through the chaos and destruction, the people of Puerto Rico continue to smile, laugh, and celebrate, and be generous, welcoming, and kind. The power of resilience and hope keeps Puerto Ricans moving forward through these tough times. As the humanitarian crisis persists in Puerto Rico, we must not forget to include our fellow U.S. citizens in emergency disaster management efforts and policy decisions. By connecting with other EHS professionals in the U.S. Virgin Islands and in Puerto Rico, we can assess the needs of this community and determine how AIHA can assist with recovery efforts.    Send feedback to The Synergist.