#  FEMA DIRECTOR JOE ALLBAUGH INTERVIEWED

**ON CNBC BY MARIA BARTIROMO**

> **WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2001**

**Maria Bartiromo:**

Welcome back. Since the attacks on September the 11^th^ the Federal
Emergency Management Agency has provided immediate response and recovery
to those affected by the disasters. FEMA officials have just returned
from touring the site

at ground zero. So let's find out how the relief effort is going.
Joining us live in our studio today, Director of FEMA, Joe Allbaugh.
Joe, nice to have you with us.

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Maria, thank you very much.

**Maria Bartiromo:**

FEMA manages the consequences of terrorist attack of, really, so many
emergencies. Tell us what you can about what you've learned over the
last

month and a half.

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Well, the resilient spirit of New York City, and New York as a whole, is
something that everyone ought to be proud. It's indicative of what makes
our country unique. And sets us apart from every other country, the way
we have responded to this. It's made us a stronger country.

We have over 2,000 people still in New York City, full time. And we'll
be here for years to come. We are coordinating all those assistance
programs that individuals need to respond and need help on. Whether it
be unemployment insurance or medical insurance, medical assistance. I
want to talk specifically about a mortgage and rental assistance
program, which will mean hundreds of millions of dollars to individuals
who survived attack but loss of their jobs....

**Maria Bartiromo:**

Lost their homes.

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

...downtown.

**Maria Bartiromo:**

Uh huh. Uh huh.

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Say south of Houston Street. Those individuals need to be registered. We
have an 800 number. I'm worried that the people do not get registered,
so we can follow these folks.

**Maria Bartiromo:**

Let's get that 800 number up.

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

800-462-9069.

**Maria Bartiromo:**

Okay.

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

It's very important. And we use that as a way to keep track of folks to
making sure that they're getting the assistance that they need.

**Maria Bartinomo:**

And that's the mortgage and rental program?

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Assistance program.

**Maria Bartiromo:**

Uh huh. 800-462-9069. You just came back from ground zero.

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Uh huh.

**Maria Bartiromo:**

What did you see?

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

I make a point of going to ground zero every time that I'm in New York
City, which is quite a bit recently. And I am so proud of the way
everyone is responding to this. They work 12-hour shifts. 24-hours a
day. It's hallowed ground. It really is. I spent some time at the Staten
Island landfill. A different scene, very well organized, and Americans
need to know that have they the best working right here in New York
City. It's truly amazing.

**Maria Bartiromo:**

They are still taking bodies out of the rubble.

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Absolutely.

**Maria Bartiromo:**

Over the weekend, more bodies?

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Absolutely. I think they found ten or twenty over the weekend, I'm not
sure of that number. But it is a, it's a humbling site to visit. It is
something we should

never go through again. Our country's in the process, after waking up
the morning of the 11^th^ of September, being a different country. We
have to be prepared. Better prepared. And that's what we are about in
the future.

**Maria Bartiromo:**

You mentioned here a minute ago, that you're going be here for years.
Let's talk

about how long this takes and how much it costs, the relief effort and
the recover

phase. Do we have any idea about the financial impact of this?

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

I don't think we really know. But it'll be in the billions of dollars. I
know that we've spent, actually hard core dollars on the street in New
York City alone, in

excess of six hundred million dollars. The debris removal contracts at
the site,

at ground zero, will probably be in excess of four and one-half to five
billion dollars. We will be a steadying force in the community. We will
be here for years to come. I may not be here for years to come, but FEMA
will be here

coordinating, facilitating, making sure that Mayor Giuliani, and I guess
his term

ends the end of this year, but the incoming mayor, Governor Pataki and
New

Yorkers get what they need.

**Maria Bartiromo:**

## How can Americans feel safe at this point? I know you met with Tom Ridge recently, talked about Homeland Security. What can you tell us about

security in this Nation and in New York since you've been working so
hard

on the disaster down there at the Trade Centers?

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

I think Americans should be confident in the fact that as of the 11^th^
we are a more secure nation. You see it everywhere you go, which is the
right thing to do for our country. I meet regularly with Governor Ridge.
We are mapping out a plan to ensure that this type of dastardly deed
never happens again. But it's not gonna happen over night. It is gonna
take time. It's gonna take months. And that's the charge from President
Bush to Governor Ridge to map out exactly what we need to do. We have
over 40 agencies that are involved in the terrorism business, and that
needs to be coalesced into one or two agencies that Americans can turn
to, and hold those folks accountable, to make sure that we prepared in
the future.

**Maria Bartiromo:**

All right, we'll leave it there. So nice to have you with us.

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Nice to see you, Maria.

**Maria Bartiromo:**

Thank you so much for the update.

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Take care.

**Maria Bartiromo:**

Joe Allbaugh of FEMA. Ted, back to you.

# Ted David:

All right Maria. I was just told by one of the assistants from FEMA that
that number was incorrect. So let's give you the right number.
800-462-9029.

800-462-9029 is the correct number. And that is the number for FEMA to

register for individual assistance.