Biden to visit Kentucky Wednesday

patient through FEMA has been there every step of the way. They have turned around major declarations, thanks to push from Congressman Comer and others in record time. And we could not be more grateful. We could also not be more grateful that the President United States is in Mayfield today. Mr. President, I'll be very brief because I want to hear from all of you. But, you know, unfortunately, uhh. I've had many to many of these meetings. Oh, and especially this year. But my state, the southern part of my state and the Delmarva Peninsula is not a whole lot different, as you know, go from from the Eastern Shore, Maryland from here, our biggest industries agriculture. Uhh. We have a $4 billion dollar industry and chickens, poultry, whole range of other things. And we're also partly on the Chesapeake Bay as well as on the Delaware River and the Atlantic Ocean. We got a lot of storms. Nothing like we've seen the tornado that came through here. But the main thing I want to say is, I'm amazed. I've been asking my femur people, folks, and and my homeland security What? What is the most impressive thing you've seen, I meant and I started thinking and damage and I said, The way you all come together, where people just come out of nowhere to help as a community and that's we're supposed to be doing that's assessed mayor is supposed to be There's no, uh, red Tornadoes and blue tornadoes. There's no red states or blue states when this stuff starts to happen. And I think at least in my experience, it either brings people together or really knocks him apart, moving you together here, it's uhh. But look, one thing I'll say and but I want to hear from all of you, is that and I know Governor and the former governor been through this before. But immediately after a disaster is a time when people are really, really moving and trying to help each other and trying to get things done. But after a month after six weeks, after two months, people can get themselves to the point where they get fairly depressed about what's going on, particularly young kids, particular people who've lost somebody. And so I just want you to know the help that we're able to offer at the federal level is not just now, Chief. You know, there's other forms of being able to help the police department beyond FEMA. Beyond the what we have now fire service the same way fire service. You know, there's a little expression God made, man that he made a few firefighters, but I really mean it. Uhh. There's a lot of you need help, and a lot of the business people are gonna be wondering what's going on. But the interesting thing is, as you fly over here is I've done in the past. I have not seen this tornado. Damn this much damage from a tornado. Um, you know, you think, but for the grace of God, why was I not 100 yards outside that line? Um, which makes it so different. So I think there's anyway, I just when I'm I just want you to know I'm driving the governor crazy, calling them all the time. But there may be things available that would be helpful six weeks and six months from now that you're unaware of. And so, where I've instructed my team to make all aware of everything that is available from the federal level and some of it has to do outside of FEMA outside of the homeland Security because of the other programs, including education, Whole range of things. So but I'm here to listen. I tell you, this is one of those things where I think the vast majority Americans know what you've been through. Just looking on the television. It has been incredible. Your colleagues talk about it, They've seen it. They said, Holy gosh, what's going on? And so we're gonna be here. We're gonna for a little while. I want to walk through town, if that's okay, a little bit. And then we're going to go off to DOS it anyway. But thank you. And don't hesitate to ask for anything. If we can't do it, we'll tell you we can't. I'll tell you from experience how you can maybe get it done. If you can't get it done through the federal way and mayor anytime you want to call a City council meeting, I'm ready. I used to be a city councilman. I think I told you this. Go and I ran for the Senate because it was too difficult in the City Council because they know where you live. You know, what? I mean, It affects them more than anything else. Hell, what needs to be in the senator anyway? Thank you all for being here. And thanks for giving me the talk. Thank you. Mr President. I've been asked to start by giving a state update, and then we'll have some updates around the table. First, we called a state, declared a state of emergency right when the storm first hit, which was going to give us the ability to marshal resources as quickly as possible. As we sit here today, we have over 600, uh, national guard or nearing that deployed over the 18 counties that have been, um, that have been hit. And they're doing everything from continuing search two verifying information of those that we believe been found. Um, developing on police and debris removal. We have hundreds of transportation cabinet workers and the biggest trucks we can find in the division of forestry that are out there working really, really hard. First it was to clear the Yeah, the public brothers should be about a little bit of devastation. Yeah, out. 10 people waste expressed. Yeah, double checks. Just take it as Yeah. Yeah, our family's pennyroyal filled up on the first night key. Damn village, Ken. Like I got the power back at at Barkley. It was out because of a fire that there was before all this. But but now, housing as many people who need it, folks, we still have over 100 rooms between them that we can help. We know we got a church that was being a culture all moved to one location where we can take care of. We're getting both self service restored. We have a number of providers that have really pulled out all the stops to try to do that. And we continue to work on power, and that's both the TV A power. But then it's the connections from there that I know are challenge. Um, I think I've talked on the phone with just about everybody at this table multiple times. Um, my report is we're here for anything you need at all at any time. If we've never done it before, figure out how to get it done. We love you all. Wait. So with that, I'll turn over to Secretary Mayorkas. Thank you. Thank you very much, Governor. Mr. President, I want to make an expressive special, thanks to the first responders whom we saw and met on Sunday when, uh, FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell and I were here for the first time. It's just remarkable to see individuals who are disaster survivors themselves come to the rescue of others. And I think it speaks volumes to what the president said at the outset about the people, the people here, that in the time of need there are no strangers. Everyone comes together, Everyone is a neighbor of one another, and it's like a big family. We we received the direction from the president not to wait to be asked for help, but to come and deliver what is needed and to ask this community and all of the affected communities. What do you need? And the direction was to for us to redefine what is possible to deliver on behalf of the government and all of government. We've been privileged to be with you, and I want to communicate the assurance that we will be here throughout this period of response and as we move into later a period of recovery, we will be here throughout. We are right now, delivering life saving and life sustaining support, search and rescue operations, the delivery of food, water, blankets and emergency shelter. Providing generators to get nursing homes and medical facilities up and running again. I do want to identify number of resources that we have. We want disaster survivors to know that they can go to if they have the connectivity. Disaster assistance dot gov disaster assistance dot gov We also have an 800 number available 1 800 6-1 fema 1 806 21 FEMA. We are aware of the fact that some do not have connectivity. Some do not have phone service. We have therefore, to disaster recovery centers here, one here in In Mayfield and one in Dawson Springs. The president directed us to be aware of the challenge of connectivity and to go where the need exists and to be able to provide a one stop shop for people. We also have individuals going from family to family, individual to individuals. We are here, and we will remain here to see this beautiful community in this area through this disaster. Thank you, Mr Governor. Thank you, Mr Secretary. And I know as of noon yesterday we had over 1800 families that had already gone online. And thank you. Next, we've got our FEMA administrator, Deanne Criswell, who was in touch moments, Um, moments after we knew how bad it was. And we appreciate your continued diligence. You can be down here enough that you can be one of us. I would welcome that, Governor. Uh, thank you, Mr President. Mr Secretary. And and I'd just like to start out by, uh, thank you. Thank you, Governor. Bashir, Uh, Marinin and Congressman Comer for welcoming welcoming us back to your community. Um, it's been just five days since we saw the devastating impacts of these tornadoes. And what I've seen already is that the recovery has already begun. Um, as you've already heard, how the communities have come together to help each other out and begin this recovery process. But know this you have our commitment, the commitment of the federal government to be here with you as you continue to go through this road to recovery. Um, and since our work began here, we have witnessed exemplary leadership from across the community that the local leaders, the fire leaders, the community leaders and what you have done to bring the communities together and give them the resources that they need. Um, the emergency managers and first responders we've asked so much of them in the last few years in response to covid. 19, yet they still show up and are providing just amazing service to their communities. Um, sacrificing time with their families who may be impacted to make sure that their communities continue to stay safe. Um, when we began receiving reports of the devastation that these tornadoes were going to bring, um, we quickly sent teams forward to make sure that we would be able to provide the support that you need a governor in order to save as many lives as we could. We deployed emergency response teams from across the nation these multi jurisdictional multidisciplinary teams to come in and assist the amazing efforts that the local and the state responders were already doing in their rescue operations. These teams, um, worked side by side day and night to make sure that they could find survivors and their actions were heroic. They were selfless and required such a significant amount of trust of people that may have not met each other before in order to make sure that they were helping these communities. And, as you heard the secretary say in the days following a disaster, we know that communications are a struggle and that it's hard for individuals to to get the resources that they need. That's why, in addition to the disaster recovery centers secretary mentioned, we also have the disaster survivor assistance teams. They are out in the communities right now. They have ipads with them, they're wearing FEMA shirts and they'll be able to help you either registered for assistance or direct you to other resources that you might need. So if you see somebody in a FEMA shirt walking around your community, please stop them and ask them for assistance. If you need additional help With the president signing of the Major Disaster Declaration on December 12, we also have individual assistance that's been authorized for the communities that have been designated. This will help individuals secure temporary lodging, start to rebuild their homes and begin assisting with their recovery efforts. But I'd like to point out that FEMA is just one part of this team. We're a small part of this team and we bring the entire federal family together to come help with this recovery process. And it's really supporting the amazing efforts that are already underway at the state level and the local level. Um, and it's this whole of community approach. Um, that is really going to be able to provide this road to recovery for those that have been impacted. And that work has already begun. And we're seeing as you heard neighbors helping neighbors, businesses helping businesses. Um, I've seen community partners cooking on the streets, helping to feed those that have been impacted by this debris is already being hauled off the sites that have been damaged. The power's coming back online. This is recovery beginning. Um, and we will be with you throughout this recovery progress. And so just know that we are with you, and our hearts are with you. Thank you, Governor. Thank you. Yeah,

Kentucky tornadoes: President Biden visiting Kentucky Wednesday to survey damage

Updated: 1:08 PM EST Dec 15, 2021

President Joe Biden has landed in Kentucky on Wednesday to survey damage from last weekend's tornadoes that left behind death and destruction in several communities.Biden first announced his plans to travel to Kentucky during a briefing Monday alongside Homeland Security. He was updated on the federal storm response for those impacted in the western half of the state.The death toll still stands at 74 as of Tuesday's latest update from Gov. Andy Beshear. Of those who died, 12 of them are children. Many Kentuckians are still unaccounted for, officials said.According to an itinerary released by the White House, Biden will depart Joint Base Andrews for Fort Campbell Wednesday morning. He will then make his way to Mayfield, where he will receive a briefing and tour the storm damage.After Mayfield, Biden will tour storm damage in Dawson Springs.Of the dead, Beshear said 21 are in Graves County; 17 in Hopkins; 15 in Warren; 11 in Muhlenberg; four in Caldwell; two in Marshall; one in Taylor; one in Fulton; one in Lyon; and one in Franklin.The dead range in age from 2 months to 98 years, with 18 of the victims unidentified.Still, 122 people are still missing, the governor said, and the state's death toll is expected to climb over the coming days.“We’re still finding bodies. We have cadaver dogs in places they shouldn’t have to be in,” Beshear said.At least five tornadoes struck in the western portion of the state Friday night into Saturday morning. The National Weather Service is still surveying the storms. They've already begun classifying some, like Taylor County as an EF3 (strong, 140 mph) and Ohio County as an EF2 (strong, 115 mph).The governor said the most catastrophic tornado may have traveled 227 miles. If confirmed by the National Weather Service, it would eclipse a record held by the infamous Tristate Tornado, which killed 695 people and spanned 219 miles in 1925.RELATED: Tornado tore through 200 miles of Kentucky. Here's its pathThe storms left hundreds of miles of destruction, wiping away more than 1,000 homes. Cars were tossed and trees were snapped in half. The city of Mayfield, Kentucky, was hit particularly hard, including a candle manufacturing factory that was operating at the time the twister hit. In that factory, eight people are confirmed to be dead. All others who worked that night have been accounted for, officials announced Monday evening.RELATED: Company says all workers at Mayfield candle factory accounted for; 8 dead after tornadoWorkers, volunteers and members of the National Guard fanned out in areas of Kentucky slammed by a series of tornadoes to begin the long process of recovery, including replacing thousands of damaged utility poles, delivering bottles of drinking water and continuing to search for the dead.Nearly 450 National Guard members have been mobilized in the state, and 95 of them are searching for those presumed dead.“With this amount of damage and rubble, it may be a week or even more before we have a final count on the number of lost lives,” the governor said.Kentucky authorities said the sheer level of destruction was hindering their ability to tally the damage. Still, efforts turned to repair the power grid, sheltering those whose homes were destroyed and delivering supplies.Across the state, about 26,000 homes and businesses were without electricity, according to poweroutage.us, including nearly all of those in Mayfield. More than 10,000 homes and businesses had no water as of Monday, and another 17,000 are under boil-water advisories, Kentucky Emergency Management Director Michael Dossett told reporters.A fund set up by the state collected $6 million in donations, according to the governor. Kentucky First Lady Britainy Beshear launched a Christmas toy drive for children affected by the storm. She is asking for unwrapped toys, books and gift cards of $25 that will be distributed to families in need.State and local officials said it could take years for some of the hardest-hit areas to fully recover.“This again is not going to be a week or a month operation, folks. This will go on for years to come. This is a massive event,” Dossett said.Mayfield, home to 10,000, suffered some of the worst damage. Debris from destroyed buildings and shredded trees covered the ground in the city. Twisted sheet metal, downed power lines and wrecked vehicles lined the streets. Windows were blown out and roofs torn off the buildings that were still standing.Not far from Mayfield, a church serving as a shelter in Wingo said it expected to host more than 100 people Monday night.Glynda Glover, 82, said she had no idea how long she would stay at the Wingo shelter: Her apartment is uninhabitable since the wind blew out the windows and covered her bed in glass and asphalt.“I’ll stay here until we get back to whatever normal is,” she said, “and I don’t know what normal is anymore.”On the outskirts of Dawson Springs, another town devastated by the storms, homes were reduced to rubble and trees toppled, littering the landscape for a span of at least a mile. Jack Whitfield Jr., the Hopkins County judge-executive, estimated that more than 60% of the town, including hundreds of homes, was “beyond repair.”“A full recovering is going to take years,” he said.

MAYFIELD, Ky. —

President Joe Biden has landed in Kentucky on Wednesday to survey damage from last weekend's tornadoes that left behind death and destruction in several communities.

Biden first announced his plans to travel to Kentucky during a briefing Monday alongside Homeland Security. He was updated on the federal storm response for those impacted in the western half of the state.

The death toll still stands at 74 as of Tuesday's latest update from Gov. Andy Beshear. Of those who died, 12 of them are children.

Many Kentuckians are still unaccounted for, officials said.

According to an itinerary released by the White House, Biden will depart Joint Base Andrews for Fort Campbell Wednesday morning. He will then make his way to Mayfield, where he will receive a briefing and tour the storm damage.

After Mayfield, Biden will tour storm damage in Dawson Springs.

Of the dead, Beshear said 21 are in Graves County; 17 in Hopkins; 15 in Warren; 11 in Muhlenberg; four in Caldwell; two in Marshall; one in Taylor; one in Fulton; one in Lyon; and one in Franklin.

The dead range in age from 2 months to 98 years, with 18 of the victims unidentified.

Still, 122 people are still missing, the governor said, and the state's death toll is expected to climb over the coming days.

“We’re still finding bodies. We have cadaver dogs in places they shouldn’t have to be in,” Beshear said.

At least five tornadoes struck in the western portion of the state Friday night into Saturday morning. The National Weather Service is still surveying the storms. They've already begun classifying some, like Taylor County as an EF3 (strong, 140 mph) and Ohio County as an EF2 (strong, 115 mph).

The governor said the most catastrophic tornado may have traveled 227 miles. If confirmed by the National Weather Service, it would eclipse a record held by the infamous Tristate Tornado, which killed 695 people and spanned 219 miles in 1925.

RELATED: Tornado tore through 200 miles of Kentucky. Here's its path

The storms left hundreds of miles of destruction, wiping away more than 1,000 homes. Cars were tossed and trees were snapped in half. The city of Mayfield, Kentucky, was hit particularly hard, including a candle manufacturing factory that was operating at the time the twister hit. In that factory, eight people are confirmed to be dead. All others who worked that night have been accounted for, officials announced Monday evening.

RELATED: Company says all workers at Mayfield candle factory accounted for; 8 dead after tornado

Workers, volunteers and members of the National Guard fanned out in areas of Kentucky slammed by a series of tornadoes to begin the long process of recovery, including replacing thousands of damaged utility poles, delivering bottles of drinking water and continuing to search for the dead.

Nearly 450 National Guard members have been mobilized in the state, and 95 of them are searching for those presumed dead.

“With this amount of damage and rubble, it may be a week or even more before we have a final count on the number of lost lives,” the governor said.

Kentucky authorities said the sheer level of destruction was hindering their ability to tally the damage. Still, efforts turned to repair the power grid, sheltering those whose homes were destroyed and delivering supplies.

Across the state, about 26,000 homes and businesses were without electricity, according to poweroutage.us, including nearly all of those in Mayfield. More than 10,000 homes and businesses had no water as of Monday, and another 17,000 are under boil-water advisories, Kentucky Emergency Management Director Michael Dossett told reporters.

A fund set up by the state collected $6 million in donations, according to the governor. Kentucky First Lady Britainy Beshear launched a Christmas toy drive for children affected by the storm. She is asking for unwrapped toys, books and gift cards of $25 that will be distributed to families in need.

State and local officials said it could take years for some of the hardest-hit areas to fully recover.

“This again is not going to be a week or a month operation, folks. This will go on for years to come. This is a massive event,” Dossett said.

Mayfield, home to 10,000, suffered some of the worst damage. Debris from destroyed buildings and shredded trees covered the ground in the city. Twisted sheet metal, downed power lines and wrecked vehicles lined the streets. Windows were blown out and roofs torn off the buildings that were still standing.

Not far from Mayfield, a church serving as a shelter in Wingo said it expected to host more than 100 people Monday night.

Glynda Glover, 82, said she had no idea how long she would stay at the Wingo shelter: Her apartment is uninhabitable since the wind blew out the windows and covered her bed in glass and asphalt.

“I’ll stay here until we get back to whatever normal is,” she said, “and I don’t know what normal is anymore.”

On the outskirts of Dawson Springs, another town devastated by the storms, homes were reduced to rubble and trees toppled, littering the landscape for a span of at least a mile. Jack Whitfield Jr., the Hopkins County judge-executive, estimated that more than 60% of the town, including hundreds of homes, was “beyond repair.”

“A full recovering is going to take years,” he said.