It hit them when no one was looking and it hit hard. It caused great damage ripping through south Floridian cities taking peoples homes and surroundings with it. Some say that the disaster of August 24, 1992, changed the lives of South Dade, Miami and Homestead residents forever. Sociologists such as Jack Hirshleifer, E.L. Quarantelli, Charles W. Fogleman, Moore, Harry Estill, Lewis M. Killian and Vernon J. Parenton, would disagree.
             Hurricane Andrew was the largest natural disaster ever recorded in the history of the United States. The reason for this was not the size of the hurricane, but the unpreparedness of the people of South Dade and an emergency alert that came too late. According to meteorologists, Andrew was formed out in the Atlantic in mid August, creating tropical waves at 50 mph. The storm was then confronted with strong winds and looked as if it were to dissipate. On the 20th of August, the storm was nearly a strong wind and weakening. But as night came, the conditions started to change rapidly. The storm began to head straight for southern Florida when meteorologists believed it would head north. A pressure change caused winds to increase as much as 120 mph and by the time the outer wall of the storm hit Florida it was pushing 214 mph. As its winds continued to build, South Dade County, Florida, was struck at midnight August 24, 1992. 414,151 residents, who were most likely asleep, in the danger zone, were struck with winds as much as 350 mph .
             We interrupt this program to bring you an emergency alert from the National Broadcast Emergency Center. This is an emergency alert! I repeat, this is an emergency alert! The outer winds of hurricane Andrew have just reached the Florida coast. Hurricane Andrew has unexpectedly shifted five degrees south. I repeat, Hurricane Andrew has shifted five degrees south. Andrew is expected to strike South Dade within minutes. I repeat, Andres is expected to strike ...