from maine to georgia. investigators are looking for cracks needing emergency repairs and maybe even some weather proofing while they are at it. kelly wright is live at the washington monument with more. >> reporter: let me give you some perspective of what this looks like. there is something very dramatic unfolding at the monument today. rick if you will begin to tilt up, some 555 feet in the air, bordering the east side you see a man up there, he's actually putting out some very important things that rappellers will be using. the national park service says, weather permitting we will see engineers coming out where that man is, they will rappel down the four sides of the washington monument, and for the past two hours we have seen this man at the very top of the monument, that is 550 feet in the air. he was been working to prepare a nylon anchor for those who will be rappeling down. >> they are going to do the assessment from the top down so they don't miss any little