The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 29, 2012

Readout of the President’s Briefing on Hurricane Isaac and Call with Governors Bentley, Jindal, Bryant and Mayor Landrieu

 

This morning, President Obama received a briefing on impacts of Hurricane Isaac, which is currently affecting Gulf Coast states including Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, and the ongoing federal response. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, National Hurricane Center Director Dr. Rick Knabb, and Homeland Security Advisor John Brennan provided the President an update on extensive rainfall, storm surge, and wind damage to date in coastal areas, including in Louisiana and Mississippi where there are extensive power outages and flooding in coastal areas, as well as ongoing efforts to support response activities and meet the needs of impacted communities.
 
The President directed FEMA to continue to make sure all available resources were brought to bear to support state and local responders, including any resources to support power restoration efforts once the storm clears, and to stay in close contact with Governors’ teams as the storm evolves. The President also made clear that while the impacts and focus right now is on Gulf Coast communities under threat from the storm, he expects FEMA to remain proactive and take necessary steps in areas further inland that could be impacted by the major wind and rain event in the coming days and into the weekend. Administrator Fugate, who was in Mississippi yesterday and is now in Louisiana where he participated in today’s briefing by phone, and the FEMA team are already in touch with states that are forecast to have major rain events as a result of Isaac later this week. FEMA continues to make resources and assets available to impacted areas of Louisiana and Mississippi through the Emergency Declarations already granted by the President earlier this week. 
 
Later in the day, the President convened a call with Alabama Governor Robert Bentley, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant, and New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. On the call, the President opened by acknowledging the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the important reminder the anniversary provides of the lasting effects these types of storms can have on communities. The President asked Dr. Knabb, Secretary Napolitano, and Administrator Fugate to provide the Governors and Mayor an update on the storm’s impacts, as well as on the resources and steps FEMA has taken to support their teams as they respond to the slow-moving storm. The President made clear that the Federal government was prepared, and he had directed Administrator Fugate to continue to provide all necessary support and available resources. The President heard from the Governors and Mayor about the current conditions on the ground and the steps their teams are taking to respond. The President asked the Governors to continue to identify any additional needs if they arise as the effects of Isaac and the response efforts continue.

Update on Hurricane Isaac

Matt Compton
Matt Compton
August 29, 2012
11:34 AM EDT
DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano and FEMA Deputy Administrator Richard Serino hold a briefing (August 28, 2012)

(Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and FEMA Deputy Administrator Richard Serino hold a briefing with FEMA Regions in regards to Hurricane Isaac preparations.)

Late last night, as Hurricane Isaac made landfall along the Gulf Coast, FEMA provided another update about the ongoing efforts from federal officials to respond to the storm.

Earlier in the day, FEMA Adminstrator Craig Fugate and National Hurricane Center Director Dr. Rick Knabb briefed President Obama on the expected track for the hurricane and the preparations underway to provide relief efforts.

The President has already signed emergency declarations for the states of Mississippi and Louisiana in order to ensure local leaders get the support they need.

Before Isaac made landfall, FEMA dispatched four Incident Management Assistance Teams to emergency operations centers in Gulf states and positioned two Mobile Emergency Response Support teams and additional resources in locations nearby the areas expected to be affected by the storm.

FEMA also has supply distribution centers in Georgia and Texas and has established additional supply sites Mississippi and Louisiana. Federal officials have also deployed an urban search and rescue team to Louisiana, and additional support teams are ready to deploy as needed and requested.

For those currently in the path of the storm, FEMA has provided some useful safety information:

Related Topics: Homeland Security, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 28, 2012

President Obama Signs Mississippi Emergency Declaration

 

The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of Mississippi and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm Isaac beginning on August 26, 2012, and continuing.
 
The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the counties of Amite, Clarke, Copiah, Covington, Forrest, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lincoln, Madison, Marion, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Rankin, Stone, Walthall, Wayne, Wilkinson, and Yazoo.
 
Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.  Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding.  
 
W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Terry L. Quarles as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.  
 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT:  FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@DHS.GOV 

Hurricane Safety Tips

Lea Prohov
August 28, 2012
01:15 PM EDT

As Hurricane Isaac approaches landfall near southeastern Louisiana, residents throughout the Gulf coast are busy preparing for the impact of the storm. Federal response teams are ready to mobilize in support of state and local leaders.

Even for those of us outside the trajectory of the hurricane, now is a good time to sit down with family and talk about how to prepare for extreme weather.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has put together a list of guidelines to help you be safe and ready before, during, and after hurricanes. To learn more about FEMA hurricane guidelines, visit Ready.gov/hurricanes.

Below are a few tips we wanted to highlight for your safety:

Related Topics: Homeland Security, Additional Issues, Louisiana

President Obama Discusses Preparations for Tropical Storm Isaac

Matt Compton
Matt Compton
August 28, 2012
11:56 AM EDT
President Barack Obama delivers a statement to the press on Tropical Storm Isaac (August 28, 2012)

President Barack Obama delivers a statement to the press on Tropical Storm Isaac, in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, Aug. 28, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

After receiving the latest update about Tropical Storm Isaac from the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA, and the National Hurricane Center, President Obama spoke from the Diplomatic Room about the steps his administration is taking to prepare for the storm.

"Yesterday I approved a disaster declaration for the state of Louisiana so they can get the help that they need right away, particularly around some of the evacuations that are taking place," he said. "And right now, we already have response teams and supplies ready to help communities in the expected path of the storm."

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate and other federal officials have spoken with Gulf state governors and other local leaders to discuss their needs in advance of the storm.

The President urged those who live in potentially affected areas to pay close attention to warnings and evacuation orders posted by local officials.

"We’re dealing with a big storm and there could be significant flooding and other damage across a large area," he said. "Now is not the time to tempt fate. Now is not the time to dismiss official warnings. You need to take this seriously."

If you need information about what to do before, during, and after a hurricane, please visit Ready.gov

Watch the President speak on preparing for tropical storm Isaac.

Related Topics: Homeland Security, Louisiana

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 28, 2012

Remarks by the President on Tropical Storm Isaac

 

The Diplomatic Room
 
10:10 A.M. EDT
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everybody.  This morning I want to say a few words about tropical storm Isaac and the steps that we’re taking to keep people safe and minimize the damage.
 
I just got an update from Secretary Napolitano, Administrator Fugate, the head of FEMA, and Dr. Rick Knabb, the director of the National Hurricane Center, on preparations that underway in the Gulf.  This storm isn’t scheduled to make landfall until later today, but at my direction FEMA has been on the ground for over a week working with state and local officials in areas that could be affected -- from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to Florida, and more recently, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi.
 
Yesterday I approved a disaster declaration for the state of Louisiana so they can get the help that they need right away, particularly around some of the evacuations that are taking place.  And right now, we already have response teams and supplies ready to help communities in the expected path of the storm.  
 
As we prepare for Isaac to hit, I want to encourage all residents of the Gulf Coast to listen to your local officials and follow their directions, including if they tell you to evacuate.  We’re dealing with a big storm and there could be significant flooding and other damage across a large area.  Now is not the time to tempt fate.  Now is not the time to dismiss official warnings.  You need to take this seriously.
 
And finally, I want to thank everyone who has been working around the clock to get ready for Isaac.  The hardest work, of course, is still ahead.  And as President, I’ll continue to make sure that the federal government is doing everything possible to help the American people prepare for and recover from this dangerous storm.  And as we get additional updates from the Hurricane Center as well as from FEMA in terms of activities on the ground, we’ll be providing continuous updates both at the local and the national level.
 
Thank you.
 
END
10:13 A.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 27, 2012

President Obama Signs Louisiana Emergency Declaration

 

The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of Louisiana and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm Isaac beginning on August 26, 2012, and continuing.
 
The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the parishes of Ascension, Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, and Washington.
 
Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.  Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding.  
 
W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Gerard M. Stolar as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.  
 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT:  FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@DHS.GOV 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 27, 2012

Readout of the President’s Briefing on Preparations for Tropical Storm Isaac and Call with Governors Bentley, Jindal, Bryant and Mayor Landrieu

 

This afternoon, President Obama was briefed by FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate and National Hurricane Center Director Dr. Rick Knabb on the preparations underway for Tropical Storm Isaac, which the National Hurricane Center has projected could become a Category One hurricane later today. During the briefing, Administrator Fugate provided the President with an update on the resources FEMA has prepositioned along the Gulf Coast to support state and local officials as they prepare and begin to respond. Working with DOD, FEMA has set up Incident Support Bases in Jacksonville, FL and Montgomery, AL to proactively stage supplies closer to areas potentially affected by the severe weather. Additionally, FEMA has deployed response teams to Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi to support state and local officials and to work to make sure there are no unmet needs. The President directed Administrator Fugate to ensure that FEMA was prepared regardless of the ultimate strength and impact of the storm.
 
Following the briefing, the President convened a call with Alabama Governor Robert Bentley, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant, and New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. On the call, the President asked Dr. Knabb and Administrator Fugate to provide the Governors and Mayor an update on the storm’s track as well as on the resources FEMA has to support their teams. The President made clear that he has directed Administrator Fugate to make sure the Governors have the resources they need as the storm approaches, and asked each Governor to identify additional needs if they arise.
 
On the call, the President also informed Governor Jindal that he had approved the Governor’s request for an Emergency Declaration for Louisiana ahead of Tropical Storm Isaac. The declaration builds on resources already deployed by FEMA and makes Federal funding available for certain emergency activities undertaken by the state to prepare for and respond to the storm.

Preparing for Isaac

Matt Compton
Matt Compton
August 27, 2012
04:04 PM EDT

As Isaac gathers strength in the Gulf of Mexico, forecasters with the National Weather Center are tracking the path of the storm, while federal disaster response teams are already in place throughout the Gulf region, coordinating with state response centers.

In a call with reporters earlier today, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate and Dr. Rick Knabb, the director of the National Hurricane Center, discussed those preparations and the latest potential trajectory for the tropical storm.

Forecasters have issued storm warnings for an area stretching from central Louisiana to the Florida panhandle and through the course of the call, Fugate and Knabb stressed that now is the time to prepare for Isaac.  Local residents should be ready to heed evacuation orders, if and when state and local officials issues those calls.

While Isaac is likely to become a hurricane today, Fugate and Knabb urged those in the path of the storm to focus less on its particular classification and more on the storm's size and the potential for a storm surge that could reach 6 to 12 feet -- as well as record levels of rain fall.

President Obama received a briefing from federal officials yesterday on efforts to prepare for the storm. FEMA's Instant Management Teams are already in place on the ground, and supplies like bottled water, food, and infant kits are being shipped to states under the storm warnings.

FEMA is providing regular updates about efforts to prepare for Isaac at FEMA.gov. The National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Service are also providing new severe weather watches and warnings as they gather new information.

You can learn what to do before, during, and after a hurricane at Ready.gov.

Update: President Obama spoke Tuesday morning about preparing for Tropical Storm Isaac, click here for the video.

Related Topics: Homeland Security, Additional Issues, Florida, Louisiana

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 26, 2012

Readout of President Obama’s Briefing on Tropical Storm Isaac and Call to Florida Governor Rick Scott

 

Today, President Obama received a briefing on preparations underway for Tropical Storm Isaac, which could become a hurricane as early as today.  The FEMA Administrator, Craig Fugate, and National Hurricane Center Director, Dr. Rick Knabb, briefed the President on the projected track and timing of the storm as well as steps being taken by the Administration to support potentially impacted states. During the briefing, the President directed Administrator Fugate to make sure FEMA continues to coordinate closely with state and local officials in potentially impacted states and address the needs of local communities as the storm approaches. FEMA has already deployed teams to Florida and Louisiana ahead of the storm to support state and local preparations, and is in close communication with Alabama and Mississippi and other southeastern states that could be impacted.  NOAA’s National Hurricane Center has issued a Hurricane Warning for portions of Florida, and a Hurricane Watch has been issued for coastal areas of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
 
Following the briefing, the President spoke with Florida Governor Rick Scott to make clear that the Administration, through FEMA, would continue to make resources available as necessary to support the state as the Governor’s team prepares for and responds to the storm.  The President told the Governor the people of Florida are in his thoughts during this time.  The President also told the governor to let him know if there are any unmet needs or additional resources the Administration could provide, including in support of efforts to ensure the safety of those visiting the state for the Republican National Convention.