Recap of Admin. Fugate’s Visit to Alabama on Thursday (April 29)

Yesterday, at the request of President Obama, Administrator Fugate traveled to Alabama to meet with Governor Bentley and Alabama Emergency Management Agency Director Art Faulkner, along with other federal, state and local leaders.

Craig started the day in Birmingham where he met with Senator Shelby and Representatives Aderholt and Sewell. Together, along with members of the Alabama National Guard, and thanks to their helicopter support, the group did an aerial damage surveillance tour from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa.



Craig met up with Governor Bentley and Art Faulkner, Director of Alabama Emergency Management, in Tuscaloosa to discuss the ongoing response efforts and to ensure the Governor's team had no unmet needs, and then traveled with the Governor to a devastated part of the city, to meet with state and local officials and disaster survivors.

At a press conference following the meetings, Craig praised the first responders, non-profit and faith-based organizations, as well as members of the general public for their courage, their quick response to this devastation, and for their tireless efforts to save lives and help the disaster survivors.



He also reiterated that FEMA stands in support of the Governor and his team - who is leading the response and recovery efforts in the state.

He then did some interviews with local and national news outlets about FEMA operations in the state and discussed how the recovery efforts will take some time.

Today, Administrator Fugate traveled around the state, this time accompanying President Obama.
For continued information about how FEMA is supporting response and recovery efforts, keep visiting our blog at blog.fema.gov.