    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 37 (Monday, September 20, 1999)]
    [Pages 1752-1753]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Remarks on Hurricane Floyd in Honolulu, Hawaii

    September 15, 1999

        Good morning. Let me first say it's good to be back on American soil
    after a very good week at the APEC conference in New Zealand. I'm
    especially anxious to get back to Washington to help to deal with the
    problems caused by Hurricane Floyd.
        I have just had telephone calls with our FEMA Director, James Lee
    Witt, who has been giving me regular updates. And as you know, the storm
    currently, in its rain form, is battering Georgia, Florida, North and
    South Carolina, and is targeting the entire Northeast.

    [[Page 1753]]

        These States are now engaged in the largest peacetime evacuation in
    our history. Yesterday I announced emergency declarations for Florida
    and Georgia. Today I am issuing similar declarations for South Carolina
    and North Carolina. I have just spoken with both Governor Hunt of North
    Carolina and Governor Hodges of South Carolina. I've assured them that
    we would do everything we can to help them, and they've given me updates
    on the problems that they expect to encounter, particularly problems for
    the farmers in those areas, who, if there is severe flooding, could well
    lose their entire crops.
        Let me commend the efforts of FEMA, the National Weather Service,
    the National Hurricane Center, and the other Federal agencies and State
    and local officials who are working around the clock to protect people
    and property. Their efforts, along with new technologies, have enhanced
    our ability to predict and prepare for these storms. I hope that every
    citizen will heed the warnings of the officials and the recommendations
    to take every action to protect their families and stay out of harm's
    way. Meanwhile, we will continue to take extraordinary measures to
    protect lives and property from Hurricane Floyd.
        As always, in times of crisis, I am inspired by the way our people
    come together and work together. It proves that the American spirit is
    stronger than the force of any storm. We will keep working on this.
    We're going to leave here in a few minutes, and I'll be getting regular
    updates. It does seem that the entry point of the storm has moved
    considerably north from where it was predicted to move. But it is still
    very, very powerful, and if the present predictions hold clear, there'll
    be a lot of wind and an enormous amount of water on the coast in South
    Carolina and North Carolina within the next few hours.
        Thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:00 a.m. at Hickam Air Force Base, after
    crossing the international dateline on his return from New Zealand. In
    his remarks, he referred to Gov. James B. Hunt, Jr., of North Carolina,
    and Gov. Jim Hodges of South Carolina.