Nancy Rudner: Ode to our infrastructure

We have a great infrastructure. Clean water comes out of the tap. Roads are paved. Trees give shade. And more. I appreciate the work our leaders and city employees do to make Central Florida what it is.

I recently returned from a week providing health care in the rural mountains of Haiti. There, the people have many assets including strong families, community connectedness, and very little obesity – but not the infrastructure we tend to take for granted. Various political, social, and economic issues have blocked development in rural Haiti. This is a tribute to those who make sure we have the infrastructure we need here.

In the area where I was, the only water source is the river, the same river where everyone washes their clothes, donkeys, and children. There are some wells, but they were not working. Each day, family members bring containers of water from the river to use in their homes. Sewers are non-existent; intestinal infections spread easily. We treated several hundred children for intestinal parasites. The parasites also contribute to the rampant anemia, which zaps strength. Meanwhile, in Central Florida, teams continual repair the pipes and manage the water treatment so that we have clean water. Thank you water crew for taking care of our water.

In the rural region of Haiti, many roads are merely suggestions of a pathway, with huge ruts, not even fit for a dirt bike. Others “roads” plow through rivers and ponds. In Central Florida, crews plan repairs, fill holes, repave as needed, and make sure the water safely runs off. In rural Haiti, impassable roads can mean death when the injured or a woman with a difficult labor cannot get out to get the help they need. Thank you Central Florida road crews for the roads we travel on here and public safety for keeping those roads as safe as possible.

Much of Haiti has been deforested. To make money to survive, people have cut down trees to sell for fuel. The tropical forest has been stripped off the mountains. Shade is hard to find, contributing to the prevalence of early-onset cataracts and other eye problems. Without trees to hold on to the soil, topsoil runs off the bare hills, leaving behind depleted soil, which stunts crop growth. Landslides are common. Thank you urban forestry and parks for taking care of our trees and ensuring we have shaded retreats.

Only a handful of homes have electricity. Power is intermittent for those connected to the limited grid. Thank you to those who have worked to ensure we have an affordable and reliable electricity source in Central Florida. Thank you too for those striving to increase our access to solar energy.

In our daily lives, we don’t see all the work that goes on behind the scenes to support living here. But seeing a community without the infrastructure is a stark lesson in appreciation. Thank you to everyone who helps our community continue to thrive.

Dr. Nancy Rudner, local workplace nurse coach with HealthAction.biz, helps individuals and employees understand their health, make healthy choices and achieve their health goals. Send your questions to [email protected]