FLORIDA BILL NELSON AND MARCO
RUBIO.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS
READY, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A
REPEAT OF WHAT HAPPENED WITH
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 25 YEARS
AGO AND ANDREW.
SENATOR RUBIO AND I HAVE
CONTACTED ALL THE ELEMENTS OF
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WE HAVE SPOKEN DIRECTLY TO
BROCK LONG, THE FEMA DIRECTOR.
HE IS PREPOSITIONING PEOPLE AS
WELL AS SUPPLIES.
ALTHOUGH FEMA IS QUITE
STRETCHED AS YOU CAN IMAGINE.
WITH ALL THAT IS GOING ON IN
TEXAS.
WE'VE TALKED TO THE COMMON DOT
OF THE COAST GUARD.
THEY HAVE MOVED THE SHIPS WHERE
IN THE STORM'S PATH THEY WILL
BE BACK IN WITH THE SHIPS AS
WELL AS THE AIRCRAFT TO ASSIST.
WE'VE TALKED TO THE U.S.
MILITARY.
YOU WILL NOT SEE WHAT HAPPENED
IN HURRICANE KATRINA.
WHERE THE U.S. MILITARY AND THE
FLORIDA AND THE NATIONAL GUARD
AND KATRINA WERE OPERATING ON
SEPARATE THINGS WITHOUT
COORDINATION.
THAT THROUGH THE FLORIDA
NATIONAL GUARD, THROUGH THE
GENERAL HERE HE HAS A POINT A
BRIGADIER GENERAL THAT
COORDINATES ALL OF THAT WITH
THE U.S..
AND WE HAVE ALSO SPOKEN TO THE
U.S. ARMY CORP OF ENGINEERS.
LAKE OKEECHOBEE IS AT A POINT
WHERE THEY CAN RECEIVE ANOTHER
THREE FEET WITHOUT ANY BREACH
TO THE INTEGRITY OF THE DIKE.
SENATOR RUBIO.
JUST TO UPDATE ON THOSE
EFFORTS AND EVERYTHING THAT HAS
BEEN SAID.
I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE
EVERYONE WATCHING TO LISTEN TO
YOUR LOCAL OFFICIALS AND STATE
OFFICIALS.
I SAID THIS EARLIER, THERE IS
NO STATE IN THE COUNTRY BETTER
PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THESE
THAN FLORIDA YOU DON'T HAVE
UNTIL SUNDAY TO MOVE.
MONROE COUNTY, YOU HAVE TO DO
IT.
YOU HAVE TO START DOING IT NOW.
IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT YOU
PAY ATTENTION TO THAT.
LIVES ARE SAVED AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE STORM.
ONCE THE STORM HAS HAPPENED, IT
GETS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT.
ATLANTA IS NOW AT A LEVEL TWO
WHICH IS OPERATING 24 HOURS
INCLUDING EMERGENCY SUPPORT
FUNCTIONS AND THE DEFENSE
COORDINATING ELEMENT HAS BEEN
ACTIVATED.
THERE ARE TOFFEE THAT INCIDENT
MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE TEAMS.
ALONG WITH A STATE TEAM AND
GOVERNOR OF TALLAHASSEE TO HELP
FLORIDA COORDINATE ANY REQUEST
FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE.
THESE FEMA THERE WILL BE
ADDITIONAL FEMA LEE AONS
ENROUTE.
THERE ARE TWO DISASTER MEDICAL
ASSISTANCE TEAMS THAT ARE
ENROUTE TO GEORGIA.
TO SUPPORTTH STATE OF FLORIDA,
FEMA HAS MOVED 8.5 MILLION
LITERS OF WATER.
6.6MILLION MEALS.
AS WELL AS COTS, BLANKETS,
GENERATORS, PLASTIC SHEETING
AND TARPS.
THOSE ARE STAGED AT A SUPPORT
BASE IN MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA.
THE POINT OF ALL THAT BEING THE
ASSISTANCE IS IN PLACE FROM
FEMA.
IF YOU WATCH THE TRACK OF THE
STORM, FEMA WILL NOT BE ABLE TO
MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION UNTIL
THE STORM HAS CLEARED AND THE