Readout of the President?s Meeting Regarding Preparations for the Upcoming Hurricane Season

Release Time: 


For Immediate Release



Today, on the start of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season, President Obama was briefed on federal preparations for the upcoming hurricane season and FEMA’s “Whole Community” approach to disaster management by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco and National Hurricane Center Director Bill Read.
 
As part of the Administration’s ongoing efforts to engage our entire nation in disaster preparedness, response and recovery, the briefing also featured input from state, local, non-profit, faith-based, as well as private sector partners.
 
Participants included North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue and members of her emergency management team, American Red Cross President Gail McGovern, National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) Chair Reverend Mickey Caison, and Verizon Wireless CEO Dan Mead.
 
Last year, at the end of August, as Hurricane Earl was approaching the shores of North Carolina and threatened almost the entire east coast,  at the President’s direction, FEMA responded by working with all the entities represented at today’s briefing, to support Governor Perdue and her emergency management team.
 
The President stressed the importance of this team approach and engaging the entire nation in emergency preparedness.  He also directed Secretary Napolitano and Administrator Fugate to continue building on this model and to be in close contact and coordination with the Governors, congressional delegations, and emergency managers in hurricane-prone states to ensure that they have the tools and resources needed to prepare for, respond to, and recover from any potential hurricanes this season.
 
For a picture of the briefing, please click HERE.
 
For a White House blog post by FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate on hurricane preparedness, please click HERE.
 
Below is a list of attendees at today’s meeting:
Janet Napolitano, Secretary for Homeland Security
Beverly Perdue, North Carolina Governor
Valerie Jarrett, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor
Alyssa Mastromonaco, Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations
Nancy-Ann DeParle, Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy
Melody Barnes, Assistant to the President and Director, Domestic Policy Council
Betsy Markey, Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs
Heidi Avery, Deputy Assistant to the President for Homeland Security
Tony Blinken, Deputy Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor to the Vice President
Craig Fugate, FEMA Administrator
Richard Serino, FEMA Deputy Administrator
Jane Lubchenco, NOAA Administrator
Richard Reed, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Continuity Policy
Jamie Smith, Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Press Secretary
Gail McGovern, CEO American Red Cross
Dan Mead, CEO, President, Verizon Wireless
Bill Read, Director, National Hurricane Center (SVTC)
Reuben Young, Secretary of the NC Department of Crime Control and Public Safety
Doug Hoell , NC State Emergency Manager
Warren Lee , NC Local Emergency Manager
Mickey Caison, Chairman, National Voluntary Organization Active in Disasters
Dab Kern, Senior Director for Response
Ahsha Tribble, Director, Critical Infrastructure Protection and Resilience Policy
Nick Shapiro, Senior Policy Advisor to the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism
Xavier Briggs, Associate Director for General Government Programs

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