Tornado Response
Early this morning Secretary Chertoff and I flew to Tennessee in response to the recent tornadoes that devastated communities across the region.
We are deeply saddened by the lives lost. Our prayers are with the friends and families of those who lost loved ones and with all those now rebuilding from these devastating storms.
Today, the Secretary and I are traveling with Governor Bredesen to assess the damage and tomorrow we'll begin the physical accounting of damage with our preliminary damage assessments. The big challenge is to get people back into their homes and back to work.
Our efforts are focused on partnering with the state and local officials and private groups to respond quickly and efficiently as a team. FEMA is leaning forward, and had people on the ground before the storms struck. Today, we have teams in place helping state and local officials to evaluate damage to these communities.
Many of the affected states are shifting their operations from the initial emergency response phase to damage assessment and recovery duties. There are still hundreds of people who will need shelter, basic relief supplies, and other support, and we have FEMA teams to assist the response on the ground. We have FEMA liaisons deployed to Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky, Arkansas and Alabama in addition to the regional personnel already on site.
As we work together in a partnership to meet the needs of these communities, we remember that the first response always rests with the people in their communities. We stand ready to assist those on the ground as they respond to these horrible storms.
David Paulison
Administrator
Federal Emergency Management Agency
We are deeply saddened by the lives lost. Our prayers are with the friends and families of those who lost loved ones and with all those now rebuilding from these devastating storms.
Today, the Secretary and I are traveling with Governor Bredesen to assess the damage and tomorrow we'll begin the physical accounting of damage with our preliminary damage assessments. The big challenge is to get people back into their homes and back to work.
Our efforts are focused on partnering with the state and local officials and private groups to respond quickly and efficiently as a team. FEMA is leaning forward, and had people on the ground before the storms struck. Today, we have teams in place helping state and local officials to evaluate damage to these communities.
Many of the affected states are shifting their operations from the initial emergency response phase to damage assessment and recovery duties. There are still hundreds of people who will need shelter, basic relief supplies, and other support, and we have FEMA teams to assist the response on the ground. We have FEMA liaisons deployed to Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky, Arkansas and Alabama in addition to the regional personnel already on site.
As we work together in a partnership to meet the needs of these communities, we remember that the first response always rests with the people in their communities. We stand ready to assist those on the ground as they respond to these horrible storms.
David Paulison
Administrator
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Labels: FEMA, first responders, natural disasters
posted by DHS Journal at
5:45 PM
1 Comments:
How can you have "people on the ground before the storms struck"? That is the most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard. Is there some kind of secret tracking that you can do for tornadoes? Would be good to use this as part of an early warning system.
Wait! This is a tornado! There IS NO early warning system. So how do you get people pre-positioned for something that you can't predict??? This is just part of the continual new-FEMA garbage talk. Go practice for your next press conference.
By
Not a weatherman either!, At
February 8, 2008 9:05 AM
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