Journal Notes

by Michael Hamline, Editor / Published May 2023

     Florida is warming up, but it’s not as crowded as it will be in the summer. The smell and sight of gator bites, conch fritters, Cuban sandwiches, and key lime pie are making the taste buds tingle. Residents and visitors alike enjoy strolls on the beach and dips in the pool. Kids are excited that school is about to end. The boys of summer are playing the second month of baseball—cheer on your Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays. Welcome to May!

     The reality is we can enjoy all this leisure and more essential freedoms because of a sobering reality that arrives at the end of the month of May. Freedom isn’t free. Many men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces have made the ultimate sacrifice—laying down their lives—so that we can enjoy our freedoms and the self-evident truths that are pointed to in the Declaration of Independence: “…that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” So do enjoy the month of May, but take time to reflect on what Memorial Day means and pass this on to grandkids, kids, and nephews and nieces. Be thankful for our freedoms, and cherish the sacrifice and cost at which they are protected. If you know a family who has lost someone for the cause of protecting our freedoms, then find a way to acknowledge the sacrifice.

     On March 31 an EF3 tornado (at times with maximum winds of 165 mph) struck Little Rock, AR, a half mile away from the office where FLCAJ is located. Due to the Lord’s great kindness through attentive meteorologists and advanced warnings of the likelihood of tornados there were no deaths in Little Rock, though there were injuries, and many have lost homes, cars, and personal property. 

     I share this to say that as Florida is a month away from the official start of hurricane season, it is important to take appropriate steps now to protect your community as much as possible from devastation. Consider heeding the advice to leave if your area is in the bullseye or at the very least, if you do choose to weather any hurricane that may make its way ashore in 2023, be in the safest spot you can be.

     FLCAJ hopes you enjoy May.

     Correction: In the April 2023 article by Richard Price “The Importance of Proper Fire Code ASME Testing” an incorrect subtitle was used on page 78, which should have said “Using Annual Reports ASME V Historical Materials Data as per State Law.” FLCAJ apologizes for the error.

Editor