[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 43 (Monday, October 29, 2007)]
[Pages 1412-1414]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Tour of Areas Damaged by Wildfires and an Exchange 
With Reporters in San Diego, California

October 25, 2007

    The President. The Senator and the Congressman and the Governor and 
I have come up here to survey firsthand the terrible devastations done 
by the fires here in the San Diego area. We've met the Jeffcoats, who 
came up this hill and went to what was their home. And we know how tough 
it is for you; 39 years of marriage--that's something that you didn't 
think you'd be dealing with after all this time. So we want to let you 
know that the American people care for people like you who are 
suffering. We appreciate your spirit; we really do. I think all of us 
who met you were very impressed by your determination to deal with this 
tough moment in your life and rebuild your lives.
    To the extent that people need help from the Federal Government, we 
will help. I am here, really, to make sure that the Federal effort works 
hand-in-glove with what the Governor has been doing. The Governor has 
taken the lead down here, and he's done a fine job. The thing I like 
about Governor Schwarzenegger, he says, ``You show me a problem, I'll 
charge it; if you show me a hill, I'll go up it''--and that's exactly 
what he's done.
    And my job is to make sure that FEMA and the Defense Department and 
the Interior Department and Ag Department respond in a way that helps 
people get the job done. And that's what I'm here to listen to.
    I want to thank the Senator for joining me. On the flight down, we 
had a good conversation. She's deeply concerned about the citizens of 
California. She asked the right kind of questions, and, you know, we're 
going to give her the answers.
    And Congressman, thank you for joining us. This is his district. 
It's got to be tough for you to represent the good people here and know 
that people are suffering.
    But anyway, thanks for being here, and God bless you all.
    Kendra Jeffcoat. Thank you, President----
    The President. God bless the people of this State. Thank you.
    Mrs. Jeffcoat. Thank you very much.
    Jay Jeffcoat. Thank you.

Federal Response to Southern California Wildfires and Hurricane Katrina

    Q. Mr. President, a lot has been made about the contrast between 
this response and the Katrina response. Do you have any thoughts on that 
and how you're doing?
    The President. You better ask the Governor how we're doing. I will 
tell you this: On all these responses, the thing that has amazed me most 
is the courage of our first-responders. The firefighters here in this 
part

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of the world are incredibly brave people. The police force has done a 
fabulous job.
    And same in the Katrina area. I mean, I know there was a lot of 
criticism of effort, but remember, there was 33,000 people pulled off 
roofs by brave Coast Guard men and women flying those choppers. A lot of 
people's lives were saved.
    Representative Brian Bilbray. San Diego County has a centralized 
disaster response team made up of the county chairman as the chairman of 
the Disaster Council and every police chief and fire chief and mayor, so 
there's a network here that those of us in the Federal and the State 
level are able to come supplement. But the backbone of this response was 
the local providers, because they were organized. So the real heroes 
here are the providers, are the men and women working for the counties 
and the cities and the fire districts that really were here first and 
foremost, and we're just supplementing.
    The President. Yes, see, that's an interesting question. I 
appreciate you asking it. My hearts are with the Jeffcoats right now, 
that's what I'm thinking. I'm thinking about people whose lives turned 
upside down. The experts can try to figure out whether the response was 
perfect or not. All I can tell you is, when the Governor calls, I answer 
his phone. When the Governor says, ``We need this help; think about 
sending these troops here,'' I got on the phone; I called the 
appropriate people. I'm interested in helping him solve problems and 
helping the folks here at the county level. There's all kinds of time 
for historians to compare this response or that response, but those of 
us who are here from Government, our hearts are right here with the 
Jeffcoats; that's where we are.
    And I'm looking forward--and I know the Senator and Governor and 
Congressman is--to eating lunch with the firefighters. We can't thank 
people enough for putting their lives at risk to help a neighbor, and 
that's exactly what's taking place. If there needs to be more 
firefighters, we'll send more firefighters. Those are the kind of 
questions that we're asking; what does it take to get the job done?

Fire-suppression Equipped Airplanes

    Q. Mr. President, Congressman Hunter tried to get some of the C-130s 
here, and they are here, but they are still on the ground, and the 
National Guard won't let them fly. What seems to be the problem? We 
really need those because the flames continue to fan.
    The President. I'll find out. I'll find out.
    Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. I just want to add to this because I 
want to thank the President for coming out here today. I can tell you 
that when we saw on Monday the flames going out of control and it 
becoming really a major disaster, I told my assistant that we got to 
call the President and ask for help. And before I ever had a chance to 
make that phone call--I remember I was in the middle of a briefing--the 
President--I was in--I got the phone, they said, it's the President on 
the phone. And he called me, and he told me that he's really concerned 
about the fires here in California, and if anything he can do, anything 
that we need, we should let him know; that all his entire Cabinet and 
his whole staff, his team, everyone is available.
    So I call this quick action, I mean, quicker than I expected, I can 
tell you that. And since then, we've been talking every day on the 
phone. And we asked him for an emergency declaration; they got it within 
24 hours. We asked for a disaster declaration; we got that within 24 
hours. And then he called me back and says, ``I'm going to come out 
because I'm really concerned about the people in California and what 
they are going through. We want to make sure that we help them get back 
on their feet.'' And here he is.
    So I call this very unbelievable response from the Federal 
Government and the Bush administration, from everyone. And from Senator 
Feinstein--I want to thank you also for the great response, and she was 
calling us every hour and being concerned. So I would say this is really 
great response, and you cannot do this without everyone working 
together. And what we have seen here, unlike other disasters, I mean, 
how quickly the locals, the State, and the Federal Government came 
together, and everyone working together was really extraordinary to 
watch. So I want to thank everyone. I want to thank you again, 
President, for coming out here today and helping us.
    The President. Okay, thank you all.

[[Page 1414]]

Note: The President spoke at 11:28 a.m. in the Rancho Bernardo 
neighborhood. In his remarks, he referred to Senator Dianne Feinstein.