DHS ACTING SECRETARY ELAINE DUKE VISITS TEXAS TO ASSESS HURRICANE HARVEY RESPONSE AND RECOVERY EFFORTS

Duke Urges Nation to Remain Vigilant as DHS and FEMA Prepare for Hurricane Irma

WASHINGTON – Today, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke traveled to Houston, Beaumont and Port Arthur, Texas to meet with federal, state and local officials and volunteers carrying out Hurricane Harvey response and recovery efforts. While in Texas, Acting Secretary Duke met with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Coast Guard, and Customs and Border Protection personnel working throughout the region. She also met with state, county, and local officials, and participated in an aerial tour of Houston, Harris County, Beaumont, and Jefferson County. Additionally, she had the opportunity to visit a Red Cross shelter in Port Arthur, and thank personnel working there.

“I’m continually impressed by the professionalism and dedication of all DHS employees who have responded to Hurricane Harvey disaster relief and recovery efforts,” said Acting Secretary Duke. “The road to recovery is long, and we must work together to keep our eyes on the goal of recovering and healing. We as a nation must also remain vigilant. Hurricane season is not over and DHS is actively monitoring the track of Hurricane Irma, and is coordinating closely with Florida and southeast region officials. It is already a busy hurricane season, and DHS and FEMA will continue to work to ensure Americans are prepared and ready to respond to natural disasters threatening the homeland.”

The Department of Homeland Security’s top priority is to protect the American people, including from natural disasters. Registering online, at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, is the quickest way for those affected to register for federal aid. The federal government continues to support Hurricane Harvey response and recovery efforts underway in Texas and Louisiana. To date, FEMA has received more than 617,000 registrations for assistance and more than 182,000 survivors are approved for $179 million in FEMA disaster assistance.

DHS also continues to prepare for Hurricane Irma. Two FEMA Incident Management Assistance Teams and liaison officers are on site at the Florida emergency operations center in Tallahassee to help coordinate any requests for federal assistance to Hurricane Irma. Today, more than 700 federal personnel are deployed in support of preparedness and response to Hurricane Irma, including 370 FEMA staff.

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