They’re wondering what’s going to be left - what’s going to be left when they get to go home - quote, unquote, “home” - or even if they have a home to go to. We’re seeing millions of people without power and thousands hunkered down in schools and community centers. We’re continuing to see deadly rainfall, catastrophic storm surges, roads and homes flooded. But in Florida today is a - is a - is the epicenter. But we know many families are hurting - many - many are hurting today, and our entire country hurts with them, because it’s been - all over the country have seen so many crises. These are dangerous missions, and I’m grateful for the brave women and men in federal, state, and local government working as one team, risking their lives to save others.Īnd we’re going to learn a lot more in the coming hours. And the governor talked about how impressed he was with what the Coast Guard was doing this morning. That’s just one element of the many federal search and rescue teams that pre-staged in Florida. The Coast Guard deployed 16 rescue helicopters, 6 fixed-wing aircraft, and 18 rescue boats and crews. I spoke with the commissioners and mayors, and they are - they are worried, but they are - every one of them are telling me what an incredible job is being done to save their cities, their towns, their counties, their ports, their bridges, et cetera.Īnd in the face of serious danger, search and rescue operations got underway before dawn this morning for people stranded and who are in desperate shape. I’ve been on the phone with the governor this morning. But parenthetically, I should note I’ve spoken with the governors and the mayors and the commissioners. The numbers of still - are still unclear, but we’re hearing early reports of what may be substantial loss of life. This could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida’s history. It made landfall yesterday and it is still - still moving across the state today. And they’re helping survivors that are really in desperate need.Īnd, you know, that’s what we’re doing as we focus on delivering help to the people who are directly impacted by Hurricane Ian. Most people want to run away from it these guys run toward it. You know, they’re always going to be above and beyond they’re running toward danger and - to save lives. Well, folks, I’m here at FEMA headquarters to thank Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas Commandant of the Coast Guard Fagan and the Commanding General of the Army Corps of Engineers, Lieutenant General Spellmon and the FEMA Administrator, who’s become the MVP here these days - I spend a lot of time in this room - Criswell of FEMA and the entire workforce and many other federal agencies that are working together here. Is it working?”Īnd you’re busting your neck, and there are a lot of people out there on the line who are risking their lives. You are reinforcing people’s faith in the institutions that everything - not - that’s not how they think about the institutions, but in “Can it work? The government is here to serve me. They look on the television - they’re there in the middle of the eye of the storm - and they wonder - they wonder can we make it work, can we coordinate. People understand exactly what’s going on. Because they wonder whether or not the institutions work.Īnd you’re coordinating all these institutions. And I’ve just been up in the other room with, quote, “the bosses.” And, you know, one of the things that I think is so important is that there’s a lot over the last 6, 8, 10 years - there’s been a loss of faith in government along the way it just keeps eroding. THE PRESIDENT: Well, first of all, excuse my back.
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