Transcripts For FBC Countdown To The Closing Bell With Liz C

For all that heb and walmart, lowes, and soon to be home depot are doing. So there is much to do, and those are just the most immediate steps. Importantly, this is a place that texas and fema will be involved in for a long, long time. We will be here until we can restore this region as back to normas possible. Or as we discussed in our meeting earlier, we need to recognize its going to be a new normal. Will be a new and different normal for this entire region. But we will not stop until we get as far as we can. I want to provide some important details and then pass the mic to senator. And then to the national fema administrator. I want to explain a couple of details that citizens need to know about. As governor, i have made a state disaster decoration for 54 counties across the state of texas. In order for a disaster decoration to become a federal disaster decoration, it requires certain financial thresholds to be met. Those financial thresholds have been met in 18 counties. There are 18 counties in the state of texas made a federal disaster decoration that the president has granted. With that president ial grant triggers the involvement of fema. Because there are a lot of people in your viewing area who may not know if they are on the federal disaster decoration list, i want to read these counties out for you. Bee county, nueces, calhoun, chambers, fort ben, galveston, harris, jackson, liberty, victoria, and warton. Those are the counties that currently qualify for a federal disaster decoration. Depending on what is learned in weeks and days going forward, there may be more counties added to that list. The reason why this is important is because if a county is on the federal disaster decoration list, there will be an abundance of resources that come from the federal government to aid people in those counties. I want to provide you an address on the website that hopefully you will hear everybody else speak about because this needs to be every persons go to location on the internet. It is disasterassistance. Org. Gov. Im sorry. Gov. Sorry. Thats my fault disasterassistance. Gov. And this is brock who is the national fema administrator who will be reemphasizing that and telling you more about it. I brought it up because Everyone Needs to know this because there are people out there who are desperately trying to get funds they need to be able to stay in a hotel because they have no place to reside. One of the places you can go is to disasterassistance. Gov. Brock will explain more about ways in which people can access the assistance they need. But i want to provide that to you now. I will be happy to in moments to participate in question and answer. But at this time, i would like to turn it over to senator john. Thank you, sir. Governor, thank you for inviting me to join you here today, and i want to join you in echoing the incredible leadership that weve seen here at the local level, here at the county and city level, the mayors, everybody pulling together in a typically texas fashion. A few years ago, i was at the disaster in west texas, and i had a county commissioner come up to me who said texas isnt just a place youre from, it describes who your family is. And i remember that regularly and especially on occasions like this because were pulling together as one family as texans to try to help those whove lost their lives and their families, those who lost their properties, their houses, and those that are and those that are in a bad way right now as a result of a hurricane. But i have to say Governor Abbott and his team working out of the Emergency Management Operation Center in austin, texas have done a tremendous job, but it would not be possible work without the support not only leadership by Governor Abbott but also folks throughout the state and local government. But it is youll hear in a moment from the fema administrator, the federa federal Emergency Management agency. This is going to be a long hall. Were going to save peoples lives. Were going to make sure they have a place to live with sewage, electricity, and the like. But this is going to be a challenge. And in addition to the website, the governor mentioned disaster assistance. Gov. Some people may not have access to internet coverage because they dont have electricity. But if they can make a phone call, they can call 1800621 fema. Did i get that right . Yeah. You sure did 1800621 fema. Thats the first step that people need to take in order to get the assistance through the federal Emergency Management agency. Theyre going to want to have if they qualify. So, again, let me just close with this. Thanks, governor, for your tremendous leadership, and i know President Trump and his entire cabinet have been very forward leaning and very aggressive in their response. But the only way were going to get through this together is the texas family is to make sure that we are latched together at the local level, at the state level, and at the federal level, and i can assure you that we are. Thank you. Thank you, senator. Good day, folks. As ive been saying, Emergency Managements about partnership. And the bottom line is these guys around me, these county judges, these mayors, these First Responders, the disasters always begin and end with these guys. And when their capacitys been exceeded, the governor steps in with his support in providing tremendous leadership and capacity and my support is designed to backfill the governors needs and to make sure that we are here to support you guys, and were going to be here for several years helping you guys recover. I have guys on the ground already here in Corpus Christi and around the area. And while all eyes are on houston watching the unfolding flooding just north of Corpus Christi, were fully aware that rockport took the brunt of a category four hurricane when it comes to the winds and the storm surge. And theres a tremendous amount of damage. You know, to this point, we are continuing to support the life safety efforts. We personally have rolled in 8500 federal Staff Members, people from around the federal government to be in texas and some of those are in louisiana just making sure that were anticipating any additional issues that occur there. Although the 8,500, about 1,100 are out performing searchandrescue. Its my job to coordinate the resources of the federal government. Youve seen the coast guard choppers, were backfilling National Guard support as well from National Guard to we have customs and Border Patrol in town. We have all kinds of people providing security to all types of things that are going on from the federal government. The other thing that youre starting to see is the state of texas, you guys are very capable state. We all know it, and you guys have tremendous capabilities of providing lifesustaining commodities. We are also backfilling that. We have brought in two million litters worth of water, two million meals, tens of thousands of tarps to backfill, and just north of here in rockport, trucks are already arriving. Were pushing them out through the points of distribution on behalf of our state and local partners as well, and this is the way its supposed to work. Were a unified effort, you know, were a team, and we all depend on each other going forward. As the governor said in the 18 counties, its incredibly important, and i want to continue to push this message. The first step to do if you reside in one of those 18 counties under the individual assistance disaster decoration that the president swiftly approved for the governor, start to register now online first. Disaster assistance. Gov. If thats not working, then, again, as the senators suggest, 1800621 fema and start the process there. Additionally, ive got over 1,300 Staff Members connected to the nfip, the National Flood Insurance Program in the state. Obviously, those people are starting to disburse through the state. We would also ask if youre an ffip holder, go ahead and contact your Insurance Agent to active ate your policy, and were ready to go ahead and process claims on that as well. Right now, were also continuing to help with power restoration and, you know, as the senator suggests, this is going to be a very long event. Youre going to get frustrated, youre going to be tired, your routine is going to be disrupted for weeks. We are striving for a new normal here. But femas with you, and were here for you to support you, governor, as well as all the local judges and mayors. Were doing our best. Thank you. A few last things and then some questions. One piece of news, and that is today i authorized the deployment of all of the texas National Guard to address the challenges that texans are facing all the way from Corpus Christi to houston, texas. That would include all of the 12,000 available members of the texas National Guard. We want to ensure that were doing all we can to maintain that safety and security of everybody in the entire state of texas. Lastly, and that is one thing that often say, and that is our lives are not determined by the ways in which we are challenged, but by how we respond to the challenges we face. Every time i see texans challenged, im always impressed to see the way that we respond. To see the way that our fellow texans would take out their own boats and go rescue stranded houstonians who otherwise could have drown. There are so many heroes in houston who literally saved the lives of their fellow texans. The same is true of what happened in this region where the hurricane first hit texas. Texans helping texans. That is what we do as a state. And i dont think anybody does it better. Im so proud to be a texan, and im proud to be associated with the men and women who have helped their friends and neighbors during this catastrophe over this past week. Knowing who we are and what we are, i know that we will get through this even strong than where we were before the storm hit. With that, i would be happy to take some questions. Yes . Marty told fox news that his firefighters are being underutilized as a lack of planning from the city, which is why so many civilians had to take part in the rescues. Have you heard that . Or do you have any information on that . I would have to direct you to the city of houston on that. Governor, obviously still a work in progress, but so far, how would you grade the government . Well, the state of texas has been dealing with the federal government for about seven to ten days, at least, before the hurricane hit. On a daily basis. Frequently multiple times during the day. Ive spoken with the president on multiple occasions with his cabinet members ranging from the secretary of health and human services, homeland security, transportation, energy. Im leaving some out. But also the fema administrator. And i would have to grade the federal governments response as an aplus. This is if not the largest, it has to be categorized as one of the largest disasters america has ever faced. And to see the Swift Response from the federal government is pretty much unparallel. So we are grateful for whats happened so far, but we know were still early in the process. We need to maintain this. But second component of it is the way that leaders at the local level have responded. These are people who are living off of just a few hours of sleep a night. And they have one concern, and that is for the men and women they represent in their towns and counties, and it is because their commitment to the people they represent that that couple with the federal governments response that were doing as well as we are. Yes . Some of your advice to people in houston was seen as contradictory to what the mayor said. Do you think people in houston should have evacuated . Decisions about evacuation are something that are behind us. We are where we are right now, and we need to focus on first protecting life and doing all we can to rescue those who are in danger. Second, get them to an evacuation center. And third, help them build a bridge to where their feature would be. Two more, everyone. Whats the biggest challenge . Well, listen, the biggest challenge, first, is making sure we get every person to a secure place. And then second, is going to be the long period of rebuilding our communities. Thats something you cant just snap your fingers and make happen. Its something that everybody that you see up here together with us. Were all going to be in this together. And its going to take a long time doing it. And so we will need the patience and cooperation of everybody in this region as we go through that process to rebuild the community governor, have you spoken to mexican officials, have they offered support . Yes. I personally have spoken with mexican officials and my staff has also spoken with officials from the government of mexico. And, yes, they have offered assistance. In what way . They said in whatever we need, they said whether it could be boats, whether it could be food, they said that they have been participants in helping with katrina, and they were going to give some more precise ways that my staff will be communicating with them about specific needs. One more right here, and then were out. Governor, about rockport, what will be offered to those residents who are still there, have lost their homes, their cars. Will they be moved to a shelter, but said somewhere else venezuela . Whats the plan for those people . Im going to answer some of that. You have come here, you may or may not know, but we will be departing here going to rock part. So i will see firsthand what challenges they are facing. But you mention buses. We do have buses available where we are evacuating people, and there are multiple locations. I personally greeted people who got on those buses from Corpus Christi and other areas around here that went to san ontonio. There are also buses that go to austin, to dallas, to other locations. So there are multiple evacuation centers. People can get on buses and go to at no charge. So thats one. Two is for those who are still here, there obviously is a need for food and water as quickly as possible. We will be establishing its not already established, which i think it is. Points of distribution for water and all the supplies they need. Separate from that, part of your question must be answered by the fema administrator. Sure. So let me take a second to explain this goal. The state of texas is about to undergo one of the largest Recovery Housing missions that the nations ever seen. Once you start to wrap up the life safety mission, and youre moving citizens who may be trapped or isolated, youre trying to get them to a shelter. Youre trying to minimize the time that they spend in that shelter, and the governor proactively turned on whats called the Transitional Shelter Assistance Program under individual assistance. This allows anyone in a shelter or someone who does not have financial means thats within these 18 counties to be able to receive assistance to hopefully find a hotel or motel or to be able to eventually rent. The goal of this is to if we cant put you back in your home because its destroyed or because the floodwaters are there, and theyre going to be there for a while, we want to get you out of the longterm sheltering, we want to try to find, you know, rent them if youve got them is kind of what we say. Lets try to rent out, you know, different facilitates and be able to place people in those types of places. And in some cases, we have to look at alternative, you know, Housing Solutions as well, and then the last resort is to bring in manufactured homes and travel trailers, which we are utilizing the defense production act to help us purchase and have priority to be able to amass those, bring them into the state. But that is a long process. We dont just start dragging in manufactured homes and travel trailers right off the bat. Theyre not going to be on your property tomorrow by any means. This is a process where you have to be into the individual assistance. The goal is to try to find you a temporary a lasting solution that works, thats within, you know, where your job is. And thats what were working on. So its a long process. Housings going to be very frustrating in texas. And we have to set the expectations. But we already have disaster Housing Assessment teams onsite. Were already working in a very proactively with the state. I just got off the phone with secretary carson at hud. Theyre going to be actively involved in this as well. Thank you, guys. Thank you. Thank you. All right. That was Texas Governor gregg abbott with the latest on Tropical Storm harvey. He was joined by fema chief and texas senator. Giving a state of the state. Focusing on the basics here. Food, water, supplies, and returning power to hundreds of thousands of people. Praising the response and rescue teams for their leadership giving the federal government a grade of a plus for their help and adding that texas and fema will be on the ground for a long, long time. Thanks for joining us, everybody, im Lauren Simonetti in for liz claman. This is countdown to the closing bell. Lets get straight to our storm chaser jeff flock on the ground in houston, the epicenter of all of the destruction, surveying the rising water and the flood as you have been all day. Jeff, you know, youve seen some of the deadliest and the costliest storms in our nations history. What youre seeing today, how is that stacking up . Ive been to a lot of disasters. Ive been to every major hurricane since the mid80s. Ive been to floods. All sorts of natural disasters, but ive got to tell you, this one i believe just because of the enormity of this. And it struck me and, by the way, were onboard as boat here as local authorities, the constable of Harris County here goes through and try to make sure that everybody in this neighborhood is out because we still have an unfolding disaster. What was striking me as we listen to the governor and the fema administrator and senator, you kn