President Joe Biden is intensifying efforts to support communities severely affected by Hurricane Helene, with plans to visit impacted areas this week as long as it does not disrupt ongoing rescue and recovery operations.The White House says Biden was briefed Sunday night and made calls to state and local government officials in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina.The president is now directing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assess what it needs to send relief to isolated communities.FEMA’s administrator says the agency is working on major infrastructure damage to water and communications systems and roads with major transportation routes.Record flooding in some areas is making it hard to rescue people who remain trapped.”We absolutely have enough resources from across the federal family,” FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said. “FEMA’s one part of the team, and we have the ability to bring in all of our team members from many other federal agencies to support this response. As we move into recovery, we can pivot those resources to help support that recovery portion. These five states are going to have very complicated recoveries.”FEMA is reporting damage in areas that don’t normally deal with these extreme weather events, including inland and mountain communities in the Carolinas and Tennessee. Record storm surge, wind, and flood damage have made it difficult to reach some of these communities where landslides become an issue.Criswell says climate change could play a factor as storms are intensifying faster than before, causing even more damage as they move further inland.The Biden administration declared Florida and North Carolina major disaster zones, releasing additional federal money to support these states.Vice President Kamala Harris canceled campaign events out west to return to Washington for a briefing with FEMA. She will travel to storm-affected communities as soon as it doesn’t interfere with operations.Former President Donald Trump will visit Georgia on Monday for a briefing and speech and to help distribute supplies.The Biden administration declared Florida and North Carolina major disaster zones, releasing additional federal money to support these states.
President Joe Biden is intensifying efforts to support communities severely affected by Hurricane Helene, with plans to visit impacted areas this week as long as it does not disrupt ongoing rescue and recovery operations.
The White House says Biden was briefed Sunday night and made calls to state and local government officials in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina.
The president is now directing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assess what it needs to send relief to isolated communities.
FEMA’s administrator says the agency is working on major infrastructure damage to water and communications systems and roads with major transportation routes.
Record flooding in some areas is making it hard to rescue people who remain trapped.
“We absolutely have enough resources from across the federal family,” FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said. “FEMA’s one part of the team, and we have the ability to bring in all of our team members from many other federal agencies to support this response. As we move into recovery, we can pivot those resources to help support that recovery portion. These five states are going to have very complicated recoveries.”
FEMA is reporting damage in areas that don’t normally deal with these extreme weather events, including inland and mountain communities in the Carolinas and Tennessee. Record storm surge, wind, and flood damage have made it difficult to reach some of these communities where landslides become an issue.
Criswell says climate change could play a factor as storms are intensifying faster than before, causing even more damage as they move further inland.
The Biden administration declared Florida and North Carolina major disaster zones, releasing additional federal money to support these states.
Vice President Kamala Harris canceled campaign events out west to return to Washington for a briefing with FEMA. She will travel to storm-affected communities as soon as it doesn’t interfere with operations.
Former President Donald Trump will visit Georgia on Monday for a briefing and speech and to help distribute supplies.
The Biden administration declared Florida and North Carolina major disaster zones, releasing additional federal money to support these states.
