For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
August 31, 2005
President Outlines Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts
The Rose Garden
In Focus: Hurricane Relief Fact Sheet: Federal Relief for the Victims of Hurricane Katrina
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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