    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book II)]
    [September 22, 2003]
    [Pages 1186-1187]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following a Briefing on Hurricane Damage at the Virginia State
    Police Academy in Richmond, Virginia
    September 22, 2003

        If I may have your attention for a second, first, I want to thank
    Governor Warner for his hospitality and
    leading this important State through Hurricane Isabel. I also want to
    congratulate those of you who work with me at the Federal level. You're
    doing a fabulous job, and I'm proud of you. I know a lot of you have
    come from other parts of our country and your families are at home, and
    I want to thank you for just taking a little extra effort to help a
    fellow citizen in need.
        The response to this hurricane has been really great. The planning
    for it has been great. The response during the hurricane was great, and
    the response after the hurricane has been great. And I want to thank you
    all for working hard to make it happen.

    [[Page 1187]]

    You make me proud to be a fellow employee of the people at the Federal
    level.
        We've got a lot of work to do. The Governor and I were discussing
    the needs here of the citizens of Virginia. We're going to keep working
    hard to get the electricity up and running. There are crews working 24/7
    so that people can get the electricity they need. I was talking to
    Congressman Bobby Scott and
    Congressman Eric Cantor about the needs of their
    district. And they're, like the Governor,
    deeply concerned about the fact that too many of the citizens don't have
    electricity. A lot do now, but too many don't. But I want to thank the
    companies for bringing in extra workers. And I want to thank those
    workers, who are manning the chainsaws and getting the lines back up so
    people can have electricity.
        In the meantime, we're working to make sure that we get water and
    ice to the people so that they can move on with their lives. I want to
    thank the local folks, State folks, and the county and city police,
    firefighters and emergency responders and the mayors for their hard work
    as well. The truth of the matter is, the frontline on any emergency is
    the local people. And you've done your State proud, and you've done your
    citizens proud.
        I want to thank the people who are loving their neighbor just like
    they'd like to be loved themselves. There's a lot of neighborliness
    taking place in the State of Virginia and North Carolina and Maryland,
    where somebody hurts and somebody's lonely, somebody needs help is
    finding refuge and solace because a fellow citizen has taken it upon him
    or herself to help somebody in need.
        You know, the true character of this country comes out during times
    of stress and emergency. And this country has responded once again. So
    on behalf of a grateful nation, I want to thank people at all levels of
    our Government for working extra hard to help our country when it needed
    help.
        May God bless those who hurt. May God bless those who still mourn
    the loss of life. And may God continue to bless America. Thank you all
    very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:54 p.m. In his remarks, he referred to
    Gov. Mark Warner of Virginia.