Washington, DC - "The safety of American people is my absolute highest priority. We are sparing no expense." ~ President Donald J. Trump
ENSURING FEDERAL READINESS: The Trump Administration has taken extensive steps to ensure the Federal Government is prepared for Hurricane Florence and other storms.
- President Donald J. Trump and his Administration are monitoring multiple storms, including Florence, Olivia, Mangkut, and Isaac, and the President has mobilized the Federal Government to support response efforts.
- The Trump Administration began putting precautionary measures in place before Labor Day.
- In anticipation of these storms, President Trump granted emergency declarations for North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Hawaii, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
- As a result, FEMA will have more authorization to assist areas affected by these storms.
THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN PLACE: The Trump Administration has already put thousands of Federal personnel in place to assist with response efforts for Hurricane Florence and other storms.
- More than 4,000 Federal employees, including more than 1,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), are working to provide support in response to these storms.
- Federal teams have been deployed to support response operations, including teams to assist with incident management, medical assistance, and rescue operations. For example:
- 2 Army Corps of Engineers teams are on the ground in the Carolinas and Virginia to assist with planning for debris removal and temporary power support.
- 5 Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Disaster Medical Assistance Teams are deployed, including in parts of the Carolinas, Maryland, and Virginia.
- 7 FEMA Incident Management Assistance Teams have been deployed, including in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia ahead of Hurricane Florence.
- 16 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Teams, including swift water rescue task forces, have been deployed, including in North Carolina and South Carolina.
- The Coast Guard is positioned in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Virginia to quickly mobilize to support search and rescue efforts.
PROVIDING NEEDED RESOURCES: The Trump Administration is dedicating resources to help private and public partners prepare and respond to the impact of these storms.
- Federal agencies are working to support efforts by the private sector and State and local authorities to provide needed resources in response to these storms.
- The private sector is the first source for goods in affected areas, and if those supplies are exhausted State, local, and volunteer agencies provide needed supplies.
- Among the prepositioned resources are over 11 million meals, over 18 million liters of water, over 60 thousand cots, and over 1 million blankets.
- FEMA has more than two dozen Incident Support Bases, Distribution Centers, and other sites with life-saving supplies throughout the east coast, the Caribbean, Hawaii, Guam, and the Northern Marianas Islands.
- FEMA National and Regional Response Coordination Centers have been activated to coordinate with State governments, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector.