Obama to travel to Alabama to assess storm damage

President Barack Obama talks with Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate to discuss the continuing federal disaster relief efforts for areas affected by the devastating severe storms and tornadoes that struck the Southeast this week, during a phone call in the Oval Office, April 28, 2011.

/ Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

Updated at 3:45 p.m. ET

President Obama is traveling to Alabama on Friday following severe storms and tornadoes that ripped through the South, killing at least 248 people in six states, including 162 in Alabama.

Mr. Obama will meet with Gov. Robert Bentley, state and local officials and families affected by the storms, the White House announced.

This morning, the president spoke with Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate about federal disaster relief efforts for areas affected by the storms.

Mr. Obama signed an emergency declaration Wednesday night for Alabama, authorizing FEMA to deploy equipment and resources to respond to the emergency in all 67 counties in the state. Fugate and Napolitano told the president that FEMA is playing a supporting role in the emergency response efforts, which are being led by Bentley. They said FEMA has deployed a liaison officer to the state to assist in coordination efforts.

According to Bentley, 2,000 national guard troops have been activated and are helping to search devastated areas for people still missing.

"Well, I think this is the worst natural disaster in many, many years in Alabama," Bentley told "The Early Show" Thursday.

Mr. Obama told Fugate and Napolitano to be aggressive in their efforts to help, according to the White House, and the president urged them to tell him about any unmet needs. He also asked Fugate to travel to Alabama today; Fugate will join Bentley for a press conference in Tuscaloosa at 3 p.m. central. Napolitano is in Missouri today and will tour the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, which suffered damage from tornadoes that struck the region last weekend.

Last night, Mr. Obama spoke with Bentley on the phone to express his condolences for the loss of life and suffering.

"Our hearts go out to all those who have been affected by this devastation, and we commend the heroic efforts of those who have been working tirelessly to respond to this disaster," Mr. Obama said in a statement.

More severe weather is forecasted in the South, and the White House advises people to follow the instructions of state and local officials and listen to local radio or TV stations for updated emergency information. The website www.ready.gov provides information on how to be prepared for severe weather emergencies.

Update: This afternoon, before he officially announced the changes to his national security team, Mr. Obama acknowledged the storm devastation, calling it "nothing short of catastrophic."

"We can't control when or where a terrible storm may strike, but we can control how we respond," Mr. Obama said. "The federal government will do everything we can to help you recover, and we will stand with you to help you rebuild."

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley speaks to "The Early Show":

[bestguest]

bush didn't step foot on the soil? that's funny i live in pensacola, and i remember him being here. not only that, the book that came out here in pensacola about ivan which has pictures from the aftermath, and right there is a picture of bush.

[Empire---George____]

Question, do presidents EVER wear short sleeve shirts ? Or would that not allow them to "roll up their sleeves" and show them he's doing something about the problem, when in reality this is just for show and peek.

[meboard]

by zzacrat April 29, 2011 4:58 AM EDT
Obaqma's father is a African, not a African American! Now do you know why that he wasn't invited to the Wedding today? All of the blacks here that voted for him, thinking that he was one of them, but wasn't!
----

DJ...do you pen under zzacrat as well???

[meboard]

Why is god so vengeful on the south? What have they done that has angered our god to do such horrific acts????

[meboard]

by DJ_Independent April 29, 2011 10:42 AM EDT
LIAR! Out Right Lie! God the Stupidity of your LIE's. Dude, shut the F up
---
I love it! DJ, you make my day son!

[Forty-Four]

Funny, I just got done listening to "Sweet Home Alabama"

[meboard]

WAY TO GO GOP!!!!!

Rep Paul Ryan (R-WI) has introduced emergency legislation in the House that will provide a $25 voucher to every person affected by these storms in the South. However, victims will not be able to file claims for loss/damage with their insurance provider. Cong. Ryan was quoted as saying, "This will go far to assist our fragile insurance industry during this difficult time. The $25 voucher should easily cover any loss of person, home and/or worldly possessions." When asked if he really felt that a mere $25 was enough to cover loss, Ryan replied, "Well look at it this was, it wasn't my house."

[ducci1]

Man some of you people are rediculous!! First off you show a slight lack of respect when you refer to PRESIDENT Obama as Mr. Obama, Uuh no matter how mush you despise him he is still YOUR president, I can count the times I heard Mr. Bush during his 8 years of C student work in the White House but never once did I disrespect him, "YOU LIE", Or accuse him of not being american enough, "Or a Drunk", I mean AMERICA.... Land of the free?? Home of the brave??... Well wees free na massa, and a little braver that the guy who sits behind his computer and masks his racism with politics, I respect a man more when he says I don't like that Ni@@er (insert corny racist joke here) vs trying to discredit or disprove anything he says or does out of pure hate, or make some lame a$$ statement about how he screwed up america. I use to think we were going somewhere or headed in a positive direction but until some peoples hateful mentalities change and start to embrace things that are different from what THEY are were doomed. Im black and my best friend in this whole world is white and If only this world could understand how we see each other we would all be ok but I guess Im fooling myself thinking a positive change is something to look forward to in america huh? Its all Obamas fault right? I think he's responsible for global warming too right?? Oh Oh and the war/still unfound WMD's, Think you could do better? Ill let you in on a little secret too.... Unless your name is Sitting Bull or Sakajaweah your not American either... this country was build my Immigrants of which are you descendants. Learn to make VALID political points, Not that he watches too much Oprah lol....wow....Welcome to America.... Land of were better than you....... Let the games begin (rant:end)

[zzacrat]

Obaqma's father is a African, not a African American! Now do you know why that he wasn't invited to the Wedding today? All of the blacks here that voted for him, thinking that he was one of them, but wasn't!

[ducci1]

@zzacrat... Lol..... African but not African- American ??? So now we've come to this.... Like saying Caucasion but not European- Caucasion lmfao... Anything to keep from sayin you don't have a black President huh. Well if it makes u feel better then ok. But from where I stand he's black. ......next.

[AOCGUY]

I remember President Bush doing a low pass in Marine 1 over my house after Hurricane Ivan. Other than a momentary distraction from the hard work of cleaning up it did nothing for me or my neighbors. I suspect the folks from New Orleans could say the same when he did a high pass over that city after Katrina. At least Obama is going to actually step foot on Alabama soil but again, it won't rebuild houses or feed and clothe those who have lost everything.

[magnus4000]

If you want to actually help send a check to the Red Cross and avoid the government overhead.

[AOCGUY]

Actually I ahve been a regular contributer to the ARC for quite some time now. You apparantly missed my point. While it is good photo op and I suppose does demonstrate concern, having politicians, no matter how good their intentions are, visit a disaster rarely, if ever, helps those on the ground. The cost of fuel to fly AF1 to Birmingham could have been better used to provide water, clothes and food to those displaced by the storms.

[magnus4000]

Why is this under "Politics" CBS?

[shazbat34]

Why wouldn't it be? Seriously.