FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
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The White House - Office of the Press Secretary
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Remarks by the President on the Relief Efforts for Hurricane Katrina |
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The Rose Garden
5:11 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: I've just received an update from Secretary Chertoff and other
Cabinet Secretaries involved on the latest developments in Louisiana,
Mississippi, and Alabama. As we flew here today, I also asked the pilot to fly
over the Gulf Coast region so I could see firsthand the scope and magnitude of
the devastation.
The vast majority of New Orleans, Louisiana is under water. Tens of thousands
of homes and businesses are beyond repair. A lot of the Mississippi Gulf Coast
has been completely destroyed. Mobile is flooded. We are dealing with one of the
worst natural disasters in our nation's history.
And that's why I've called the Cabinet together. The people in the affected
regions expect the federal government to work with the state government and
local government with an effective response. I have directed Secretary of
Homeland Security Mike Chertoff to chair a Cabinet-level task force to
coordinate all our assistance from Washington. FEMA Director Mike Brown is in
charge of all federal response and recovery efforts in the field. I've
instructed them to work closely with state and local officials, as well as with
the private sector, to ensure that we're helping, not hindering, recovery
efforts. This recovery will take a long time. This recovery will take years.
Our efforts are now focused on three priorities: Our first priority is to
save lives. We're assisting local officials in New Orleans in evacuating any
remaining citizens from the affected area. I want to thank the state of Texas,
and particularly Harris County and the city of Houston and officials with the
Houston Astrodome, for providing shelter to those citizens who found refuge in
the Super Dome in Louisiana. Buses are on the way to take those people from New
Orleans to Houston.
FEMA has deployed more than 50 disaster medical assistance teams from all
across the country to help the affected -- to help those in the affected areas.
FEMA has deployed more than 25 urban search and rescue teams with more than a
thousand personnel to help save as many lives as possible. The United States
Coast Guard is conducting search and rescue missions. They're working alongside
local officials, local assets. The Coast Guard has rescued nearly 2,000 people
to date.
The Department of Defense is deploying major assets to the region. These
include the USS Bataan to conduct search and rescue missions; eight swift water
rescue teams; the Iwo Jima Amphibious Readiness Group to help with disaster
response equipment; and the hospital ship USNS Comfort to help provide medical
care.
The National Guard has nearly 11,000 Guardsmen on state active duty to assist
governors and local officials with security and disaster response efforts. FEMA
and the Army Corps of Engineers are working around the clock with Louisiana
officials to repair the breaches in the levees so we can stop the flooding in
New Orleans.
Our second priority is to sustain lives by ensuring adequate food, water,
shelter and medical supplies for survivors and dedicated citizens -- dislocated
citizens. FEMA is moving supplies and equipment into the hardest hit areas. The
Department of Transportation has provided more than 400 trucks to move 1,000
truckloads containing 5.4 million Meals Ready to Eat -- or MREs, 13.4 million
liters of water, 10,400 tarps, 3.4 million pounds of ice, 144 generators, 20
containers of pre-positioned disaster supplies, 135,000 blankets and 11,000
cots. And we're just starting.
There are more than 78,000 people now in shelters. HHS and CDC are working
with local officials to identify operating hospital facilities so we can help
them, help the nurses and doctors provide necessary medical care. They're
distributing medical supplies, and they're executing a public health plan to
control disease and other health-related issues that might arise.
Our third priority is executing a comprehensive recovery effort. We're
focusing on restoring power and lines of communication that have been knocked
out during the storm. We'll be repairing major roads and bridges and other
essential means of transportation as quickly as possible.
There's a lot of work we're going to have to do. In my flyover, I saw a lot
of destruction on major infrastructure. Repairing the infrastructure, of course,
is going to be a key priority.
The Department of Energy is approving loans from the Strategic Petroleum
Reserve to limit disruptions in crude supplies for refineries. A lot of crude
production has been shut down because of the storm. I instructed Secretary
Bodman to work with refiners, people who need crude oil, to alleviate any
shortage through loans. The Environmental Protection Agency has granted a
nationwide waiver for fuel blends to make more gasoline and diesel fuel
available throughout the country. This will help take some pressure off of gas
price. But our citizens must understand this storm has disrupted the capacity to
make gasoline and distribute gasoline.
We're also developing a comprehensive plan to immediately help displaced
citizens. This will include housing and education and health care and other
essential needs. I've directed the folks in my Cabinet to work with local folks,
local officials, to develop a comprehensive strategy to rebuild the communities
affected. And there's going to be a lot of rebuilding done. I can't tell you how
devastating the sights were.
I want to thank the communities in surrounding states that have welcomed
their neighbors during an hour of need. A lot of folks left the affected areas
and found refuge with a relative or a friend, and I appreciate you doing that. I
also want to thank the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army and the
Catholic Charities, and all other members of the armies of compassion. I think
the folks in the affected areas are going to be overwhelmed when they realize
how many Americans want to help them.
At this stage in the recovery efforts, it's important for those who want to
contribute, to contribute cash. You can contribute cash to a charity of your
choice, but make sure you designate that gift for hurricane relief. You can call
1-800-HELPNOW, or you can get on the Red Cross web page, RedCross.org. The Red
Cross needs our help. I urge our fellow citizens to contribute.
The folks on the Gulf Coast are going to need the help of this country for a
long time. This is going to be a difficult road. The challenges that we face on
the ground are unprecedented. But there's no doubt in my mind we're going to
succeed. Right now the days seem awfully dark for those affected -- I understand
that. But I'm confident that, with time, you can get your life back in order,
new communities will flourish, the great city of New Orleans will be back on its
feet, and America will be a stronger place for it.
The country stands with you. We'll do all in our power to help you. May God
bless you.
Thank you.
END 5:20 P.M. EDT
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