    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book II)]
    [August 15, 2004]
    [Pages 1667-1668]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on the Devastation of Hurricane Charley and an Exchange With
    Reporters in Punta Gorda, Florida
    August 15, 2004

        The President. The job of the Federal Government and the State
    government is to surge resources as quickly as possible to disaster
    areas. And that's exactly what's happening now. We choppered over and
    saw the devastation of this area. A lot of people's lives are turned
    upside down. We've got ice and water moving in, trailers for people to
    live in are moving in. State is providing security so that people can
    have peace of mind that their neighborhoods will be safe. There's a lot
    of compassion moving in the area. The Red Cross is here.
        What I'm telling is that there's a lot of help moving into this part
    of the world. It's going to take a while to rebuild it. But the
    Government's job is to help people help rebuild their lives, and that's
    what's happening.
        The coordination between the Federal Government and the State
    government and the local government is really important. I think it's
    excellent now. The Governor can speak to that, if
    you like. But it's really important that when we say we're going to do
    something, that it actually happens. And that's what we're following
    through on now.
        I'll answer some questions, if you've got some.

    Community Response

        Q. Can you tell us about some of the people who you spoke with and
    what they told you?
        The President. Well, I've got--you know, these good folks here--this
    is this man's house here. His parents were uprooted from where they were
    living. They came here to spend the night. And that's what you're
    beginning to see. You're beginning to see neighbors helping neighbors. A
    lot of people who have been dislocated are staying with a friend or a
    neighbor. You know, out of these catastrophes the spirit of America
    really shines, and that spirit is neighbor helping neighbor. So that's
    the lesson here.
        The fellow down the street came out okay; he had taken precautions
    necessary. Nearly everybody here that I've talked to had evacuated, as
    the State asked them to do, and therefore, the loss of life was
    minimized. Still, too many people lost their lives, but nevertheless, it
    was not as significant as it could have been. We're here, now,
    obviously, in a residential neighborhood where people's lives have been
    destroyed. They're beginning to worry about insurance claims, and the
    State is organized to handle insurance claims. The key is just to make
    sure that they expedite the services which are available as quickly as
    possible.

    [[Page 1668]]

    Federal Response

        Q. There was some consternation after Andrew, that the Federal aid
    didn't arrive soon enough. Can you promise that there will be a more
    expeditious response this time?
        The President. It's happening now----
        Q. Sir----
        The President. Hold up for a second. We're moving a lot of aid very
    quickly, and again, you can ask the Governor
    whether or not he's satisfied with how fast the aid is moving. All I can
    tell you is, is that FEMA was on the ground yesterday morning, and
    there's a lot of supplies surging this way.
        Yes, ma'am.

    Estimates of Damage

        Q. Have you gotten an updated tally of the cost of the damage----
        The President. Not yet. Jeb estimated billions.
    We'll see.

    President's Visit

        Q. Mr. President, some people are going to say that there's a
    political component to your rapid visit to Florida.
        The President. Yes, and if I didn't come they would have said, ``He
    should have been here more rapidly.''
        Q. Yes. [Laughter]

    Federal Response

        Q. What about what happened in '92, with Hurricane Andrew? That was
    obviously in August of a Presidential----
        The President. This is now--this is now. And the Government is set
    up to respond very quickly, and we are.
        Q. Was there a lesson learned back then, though?
        The President. The lesson is, respond quickly. And we are responding
    quickly. And we're surging equipment. And the coordination between the
    Federal Government and the State government is excellent. And the
    Homeland Security Department is doing its job. FEMA Director
    Brown is doing an excellent job. You can talk to
    the Governor. He can give you a sense for--from the
    State perspective. But from the Federal perspective, I was notified that
    they're going to move as quickly as possible, and they are. A lot of
    stuff is coming. And thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:46 a.m. In his remarks, he referred to
    Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida.