You're watching...
Lt. General Thomas Bostick, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Commanding General, on assisting people in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
Also in this playlist...
Auto-advance: ON
Auto-advance
This transcript is automatically generated
You don't just 'cause the worst is over from sandy it's not over not -- a long -- for example.
Much in downtown New York is still badly flooded and ended at any way you get -- to.
-- exchanges are places of business and you can't unless you try to take a car in good luck with that there are new rules and then restrictions on that.
Today.
I guess this is a couple of people maybe Hannity and O'Reilly can helicopter and but that's about it -- -- your options it's very very tough.
Very very messy and it stands to be that way for a days maybe even weeks to come to wonder why the estimates are that this is gonna -- or GDP.
Our economy maybe half a point or more.
It's going to be a mess here trying to address that in and make sure that.
We can get -- Addison -- this our corps of engineers commanding general lieutenant general Thomas -- a -- general thank you very much -- coming.
It really is a Mass.
General and I know it's a combination of a variety of perfect stands at stand one incredible storm but the aftermath.
There's something I'm like as seen in some time.
-- -- What do you guys do now -- for.
Just to deal would that part of it.
Well first Neal thanks for having me here in the and I -- -- say that my thoughts and prayers and then all of our hearts -- -- go out to those.
That have lost loved ones lost property and and other damages and a in this terrible tragedy.
Our focus now is first life and safety and and and making sure.
That we support those cities and states that are in dire need of help.
We do that through -- -- Federal Emergency Management Agency.
And and the whole nation now all thirty federal agencies are worked in.
With.
With the president and and with the team in Washington.
In the regional level and with the states had to ensure their requirements are met.
The priorities I'd say beyond life and safety once we get.
Into the recovery effort which were working in parallel.
Is -- on power making sure that we get electricity.
Back to those locations that are currently without power I was just in Manhattan.
In lower Manhattan where they have a significant issue with power and were working aggressively.
With all of the teams there to help recovered that area.
And as you pointed out earlier the water issue we we've never seen this type of devastation.
Either in New Jersey.
Manhattan -- up and down the coast but we're really focused.
On water -- well in trying to get everybody back to work back to normalcy.
As quickly as we can.
I don't know where your -- duties.
And -- and and others maybe more local jurisdiction picks up when it comes -- Looking for the missing for example I'm told that they have these cross reference list for those.
Who might have left their apartments -- their condominiums and dumped -- New York or any one of -- number of vulnerable communities up and down along the East Coast.
And if they don't hear from Missouri party or anybody now with.
But the but the lousy cell phone service and disruptions in -- -- But there are potentially thousands who are unaccounted swore.
And that is not a news on told -- What makes it -- how long it drags on and they're still unaccounted for.
What do you do about that I mean -- how do you handle that.
-- -- -- the cities and the states are using their first responders.
What we are doing to try to help them in that regard.
Is identified those locations where the first responders operate out of and make sure they have the power.
In any other requirements that they need to in order to execute their missions.
What's happened prior to the storm which -- give a lot of credit.
To those states and cities that were involved in the last year.
We made assessments on over 2500.
Different individual areas where there they were police stations.
Hospitals.
Nursing homes.
These were the critical facilities.
That the governors and in the mayor's felt needed to be brought up to speed as soon as a disaster.
Of this magnitude would come through so all of that work is happen.
And now we're out making assessments on what was damaged.
On that one to enlist.
And then immediately repairing that some of that its first responder.
Some of that is operation centers to get the first responders -- to do the work they need to do.
We'll general I want to thank you wanted to -- of your men and women.
One -- there -- -- starkly in my mind series.
Well everyone's running out of and a danger zone.
It's you and -- your men and women were running into us.
And I -- is an indelible learned to never leaves and I want to thank you and honesty through -- pretty grateful what.
Quarter of the nation and that would readily agree.
Thank you know we -- we appreciate -- this is a team effort had Department of Defense working with all the federal agencies down at local level.
And we can be proud to be Americans because even during the tragedy like this there's goodness in -- America come together to help other Americans in their time in the.
-- I would definitely -- that you know you see it it's say get decisions bunds and bid for your right.
General thank you very much.
