President Trump’s Update from Hurricane Florence

BOOTS ON THE GROUND: The Trump Administration mobilized thousands of Federal employees who are working to protect lives and restore power impacted by Hurricane Florence.

• Nearly 20,000 Federal employees have been mobilized to assist with Florence recovery.
• The Department of Energy is working with 40,000 individuals from 19 States and Canada to restore power to the region, and is seeing significant progress in its efforts.
• The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has deployed 136 personnel, successfully installing or pre-positioning over 110 generators, with more expected.
• The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has conducted over 2,000 rescues in the region and is sheltering nearly 15,000 people.
• The Department of Defense has assigned approximately 13,000 personnel to support the recovery, including some 6,000 active-duty personnel and more than 7,000 National Guardsmen.
• The Coast Guard has over 3,000 personnel in 27 helicopters, 11 fixed wing aircraft, 14 cutters, and 35 shallow-water craft. To date the Coast Guard has saved over 400 lives and 200 pets.
• The National Guard has performed or supported more than 535 rescue and evacuation missions in North Carolina.
• The Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Disease Control have deployed dozens of teams to the region to treat the sick or injured and prevent illness.

GOVERNMENT-WIDE RESPONSE: The Trump Administration is conducting an ongoing and Government-wide effort response effort in the wake of Hurricane Florence.

• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is beginning to assess more than 100 priority sites impacted by the storm.
  • EPA is deploying a Superfund reconnaissance team to conduct visual inspection of Superfund sites in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
• The Department of Veterans Affairs is moving to open facilities that were closed by the storm.
• The Small Business Administration has announced assistance for homeowners, renters, and businesses of all sizes, and is opening a business recovery center.
• Federal authorities are working with private partners such as the American Red Cross, which has deployed 3,000 workers from across the country.

PREPARED FOR FLORENCE: President Trump and his Administration were prepared for Hurricane Florence, prestaging numerous resources and planning Federal assistance.

• President Trump activated and prepositioned thousands of Federal employees, including more than 1,000 from FEMA, and worked with State and local partners to prepare.
• President Trump approved emergency disaster declarations to allow for protective measures for North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.
  • The President later approved Major Disaster declarations for North Carolina and South Carolina.
• The Federal Government prepositioned huge amounts of resources in the area to help prepare.
  • FEMA forward-staged meals, water, cots, blankets, and other resources throughout the region ahead of Florence.

Shared from Whitehouse.gov