For Immediate Release

Office of the Press Secretary

Contact: 202-282-8010

DHS is Coordinating Preparedness on all Levels of Government

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Homeland Security hosted a hurricane briefing for President Donald J. Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, cabinet officials, and hurricane state governors. The purpose of the briefing, held at Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters in Washington, DC, was to discuss the nation’s preparedness for hurricane season. Donald J. Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke, FEMA Administrator Brock Long, and other federal agency leaders all attended. They were joined via teleconference by the governors from states with a high risk of hurricanes.

During the meeting, the President was briefed on the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season forecast by the acting director for the National Hurricane Center. Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Duke discussed the government-wide year-long hurricane preparedness efforts, working with all levels of government, the private sector, and individuals – highlighting the shared responsibility of preparedness. FEMA Administrator Long discussed the nation’s readiness posture for hurricane response and the Agency’s response and recovery capabilities.

“Natural disaster preparedness is a joint effort between state and local partners, the American people, and the federal government. We at DHS and FEMA are ready to respond quickly, efficiently, and effectively when a disaster occurs,” said Acting Secretary Duke. “We take this responsibility seriously, and like today will continue to coordinate closely with our state and local partners to support our nation’s collective ability to respond.”

Several governors briefed out on their state-specific preparedness efforts, as well as ongoing coordination with their federal counterparts.

“Incidents begin and end locally, and FEMA’s role is to support the efforts and capabilities of states, local governments, tribes, and territories impacted by disasters,” said Administrator Long. “FEMA stands ready to coordinate federal capabilities in our shared responsibility for response and recovery. Every level of government and each individual has a role to play.”

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. More information on safety measures the public can take can be found at http://www.ready.gov/hurricanes. The FEMA App (available in English and Spanish) puts safety tips, directions to shelters, emergency supply checklists and more, into the palms of users’ hands.

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