[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 44 (Monday, November 5, 2007)]
[Pages 1421-1422]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

October 27, 2007

    Good morning. On Thursday, I traveled to California to visit 
communities ravaged by wildfires. I walked with a married couple through 
the charred remains of their home. I met with emergency responders. I 
talked with displaced families at a disaster assistance center. And I 
made a pledge to the people of California on behalf of all Americans: We 
will help you put out the fires, get through the crisis, and rebuild 
your lives.
    State and local authorities in California were well prepared for 
this crisis, and they responded quickly and effectively. Officials 
warned those in danger, moved residents out of the path of the flames, 
and set up dozens of shelters for thousands of people.
    State officials also reached out to the Federal Government for help, 
and we responded. Shortly after the fires broke out, we started 
mobilizing and providing assistance, including the deployment of Federal 
firefighters and aircraft to drop fire retardant on the fires. As high 
winds spread the fires, Governor Schwarzenegger requested more Federal 
help. Within 1 hour of that request, we approved an emergency 
declaration that authorized Federal Agencies across the Government to 
help State and local responders save lives, protect property, and 
maintain public health and safety.
    On Wednesday, I issued a second declaration. This action made 
additional Federal funding available to the residents of the counties 
affected by the wildfires so they can recover and rebuild. This Federal 
assistance includes grants for temporary housing and home repair, low-
cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, loans for small-business 
owners, and funding to help clean up debris.
    I was impressed by the performance of the first-responders I met in 
California. Despite the challenges of high winds and dry weather, 
firefighters are gaining the upper hand and earning the gratitude of 
their fellow citizens. Many of these brave men and women have battled 
the blaze in triple-digit heat. Some have worked around the clock. And 
more than once, firefighting teams were forced to take emergency shelter 
in their fire tents when threatened by approaching walls of flame. I was 
grateful for the opportunity to meet them, and I thank them for their 
courage.
    I was also encouraged by the spirit of the families I met. At one 
recovery center, I met an amazing young girl named Alyssa Lamborn. 
Alyssa told me, ``I lost my house, but I didn't lose my home because my 
family and my pets are safe.'' I saw this same spirit in many others who 
are grateful for their safety and determined to rebuild.
    People like Alyssa and her family are receiving help from their 
fellow Americans. Some have opened their homes to strangers who were 
evacuated and could not find a hotel room. Doctors and nurses have 
answered the call to help seniors who were forced from their nursing 
homes. And volunteers from every walk of life have come forward to 
provide food, clothing, and blankets--and a shoulder to lean on.
    I went to southern California with a message: We want you to know, 
the country cares for you. We're concerned about you, your 
neighborhoods, and your homes. Things may look dismal now, but there is 
a better day ahead. And we will not forget you in Washington, DC.
    Thank you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 7:50 a.m. on October 26 in the Cabinet 
Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on October 27. The 
transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
October 26 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. The Office 
of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of 
this address.

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