Hurricane Andrew - Aftermath

Aftermath

See also: List of retired Atlantic hurricane names

Initially, the Bahamas National Disaster Coordinator believed that foreign aid was not required. Though shortly after the storm, the Government of the United Kingdom began distributing blankets, food, ice, and water. In addition, assistance also came from Canada, Japan, and the United States, as well as the United Nations. Furthermore, the American Red Cross delivered 100 tents, 100 rolls of plastic sheeting, and 1,000 cots. In Florida, then-President of the United States George H. W. Bush assessed damage in the Miami area with then-Governor of Florida Lawton Chiles. Shortly thereafter, Bush declared the region a disaster area, which provided public assistance to victims of the storm in Broward, Collier, Miami-Dade, and Monroe Counties. Then-Lieutenant Governor of Florida Buddy MacKay flew over the impact area and described that, "it looks like a war zone". Lawton Chiles considered asking the Florida State Legislature to raise taxes, stating that "No matter how much Congress appropriates to repair damage from Hurricane Andrew, the state will face a substantial clean bill". In Washington D.C., President Bush proposed a $7.1 billion (1992 USD) disaster aid package to provide disaster benefits, small-business loans, crop losses, food stamps, and public housing for victims of Hurricane Andrew. However, the United States House of Representatives considered allotting a bill costing $1.8 billion (1992 USD) more than Bush's proposal.

Crime rose sharply in the areas south of Miami immediately after Andrew, especially looting and theft. Numerous reports indicate that merchandise was stolen at many damaged or destroyed shopping centers in southern Miami-Dade County. Additionally, looting also occurred in neighborhoods severely affected by the storm, regardless of the how few of the owners possessions remained. Initially, the slow response of federal aid prompted Dade County Emergency Management Director Kate Hale to famously exclaim at a nationally televised news conference, "Where in the hell is the cavalry on this one? They keep saying we're going to get supplies. For God's sake, where are they?" Almost immediately, President Bush promised, "Help is on the way," and mobile kitchens and tents, along with units from the 82nd Airborne Division and the 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York began pouring in. More than 930,000 policyholders in South Florida lost coverage after 11 insurance companies went bankrupt, caused by more than 600,000 insurance claims filed. This led the Florida Legislature to create new entities, such as the Joint Underwriting Association, the Florida Windstorm Underwriting Association, and the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, in effort to restore adequate insurance capacity. In order to provide temporary housing for the homeless, military personnel set up six tent cities, five in Florida City and Homestead, with an additional one later opened at the Miccosukee Indian Reservation.

President Bush also visited Louisiana and said, " hasn't been as devastating ", but also noted that "The destruction from this storm goes beyond anything we have known in recent years". After his visit to Louisiana, President Bush declared only Terrebonne Parish as a disaster area, but later included 34 other parishes under this declaration.

After the season had ended, the World Meteorological Organisation's RA IV Hurricane Committee retired the name Andrew from the Atlantic tropical cyclone naming lists and replaced it with Alex.