Obama visits FEMA, says Hurricane Sandy resources "are in place"
Ahead of Hurricane Sandy's impending landfall, President Obama visited the Federal Emergency Management Agency's headquarters in Washington, D.C., for a briefing on the latest storm preparations.
"[M]y first message is to all the people across the Eastern seaboard..., you need to take this very seriously and follow the instructions of your state and local officials," Mr. Obama said after meeting with FEMA Director Craig Fugate. The president also held a conference call with governors and mayors whose states and cities are likely to be impacted by the storm.
Officials "don't yet know where it's going to hit," the president said, stressing, "This is a serious and big storm."
The president said resources "are in place" to respond to Sandy and that local, state and federal governments are prepared to "respond big and respond fast."
The storm, which is currently moving north over the Atlantic Ocean, is expected to veer west and hit the east coast and collide with two other storm fronts sometime early Tuesday.
FEMA Director Fugate recommended that people visit the website www.ready.gov for information and preparation advice. He also advised people to "check with your neighbors."
With nine days left until Election Day, Sandy is causing disruptions to the presidential campaigns' schedules. Mr. Obama has cancelled a campaign event in Virginia Monday evening and one in Colorado Tuesday morning, and Mitt Romney has also changed his campaign schedule. He is spending more time in Ohio instead of holding campaign events in Virginia today.