#  DIRECTOR JOE ALLBAUGH INTERVIEWED

**BY MATT LAUER ON NBC TODAY'S SHOW**

**THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2001**

**Matt Lauer:**

Homeland Security emergency support teams are being set up to serve as a
central point of communication and coordination among federal, state and
local officials. The issue at hand: terrorism preparedness. These new
support teams will work under the Federal Emergency Management Agency
lead by Director Joe Allbaugh. Joe, good morning.

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Good morning, Matt.

**Matt Lauer:**

This is a major new role for FEMA; something we haven't seen or we
haven't come to expect in the past.

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

It is an enhanced role. It's something that we do day in and day out,
since September the 11^th^. It's time to take a new look at our assets,
the way we deploy our assets. Are we prepared? We're now going out, at
Governor Ridge's direction, Tom Ridge, to make a new assessment as to
what our state and local

communities' capabilities are.

**Matt Lauer:**

You're going to send teams across the country, basically?

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Correct.

**Matt Lauer:**

And you're going to look at each state and city and you're going to say,
"Are you ready for, or in the event of, a terrorist attack?" What
questions are you going to be asking these people?

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Well, we're going to take a snap shot as to what they are capable of
doing right now. I do not receive the 911 phone call. Tom Ridge doesn't
receive the 911

phone call. It's local police, fire, emergency managers. What are their
capabilities now? Where do they need to be? And thirdly, how are we
going to get them to a certain level?

**Matt Lauer:**

Do you have police officers trained in the right things?

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Correct.

**Matt Lauer:**

Do you have fire officials who are trained in handling terrorist
attacks? Does your health service know enough about anthrax and smallpox
and things like that?

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Can we deliver? Can we deliver a Cipro type antibiotic if we need to?

**Matt Lauer:**

## And then do you give each state and city some sort of a report card?

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

We will do that. We won't call it a report card; it's an assessment.
We'll go over that with them closely. And then a part of the package
that was just passed by

Congress yesterday, we have somewhere between 500 and 600 million
dollars,

we will use to help those states really get up to par.

**Matt Lauer:**

So what you're saying is if you find a weakness you're just not going to
point it out to the people...

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

No, we're going to fix it. We're going to fix it. That's what this is
all about. The American public deserves to have confidence in a system
that will work and that will deliver the services when called upon.

**Matt Lauer:**

How long is this process gonna take? How long before you can evaluate an
entire nation?

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Well this process has already started among the states. We've already
shipped our teams out. They're working right now with state and local
individuals. I'll have a report to Governor Ridge before Thanksgiving.
So in one respect it's a short fuse, in another respect we should have
done this earlier.

**Matt Lauer:**

You say this is not a new role but an expanded role for FEMA. What is it
going to mean, Joe, in the awful event that there is another terrorist
attack? What will FEMA be doing in that eventuality that you are not
expected to do now?

Especially, we've seen you react to the World Trade Center.

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Right. What we've done right now is already prepositioned folks and
assets to combat any type of additional event. We're prepared, far more
prepared than what we were prior to September 11^th^. And the American
public needs to know that.

**Matt Lauer:**

I asked you last time you were here, how this event, the attacks of
September the 11^th^, how that has stretched your staff and your budget?
You said "We're stretched pretty thin." How does this expanded role
impact that?

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Well, it stretches us further. But fortunately President Bush has made
the commitment to make sure that we have the dollars, along with the
assistance of Congress, to do what we have to do. I mean, the American
public deserves that, at a bare minimum.

**Matt Lauer:**

Yeah, let's talk about the dollars. I mean, the president's given FEMA
2.5 billion dollars more. If I'm not mistaken your budget is nine
hundred and something million. So this is....

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Well, yeah. Actually we're doubling our budget immediately. This
additional 2.5 goes to the current needs at the Pentagon and New York
City. I think, over time, we will receive more money to provide the
programs, the assistance, the equipment, the training to local
individuals who deserve it.

**Matt Lauer:**

Let me ask you about something. I know you came back to New York in the
last

day or so.

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Right.

**Matt Lauer:**

You went to ground zero, which you do every time you're here, but you
also went out to the Fresh Kills landfill....

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

I did.

**Matt Lauer:**

...which is in Staten Island.

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

I did.

**Matt Lauer:**

Where all of the debris from ground zero, the World Trade Center, is
being taken. Give me an idea of what's happening out there. What jobs
those people are doing?

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Very well organized. You have over twenty-six federal, state and local
agencies working together, it's an unbelievable site. Folks working
shoulder-to-shoulder; sifting over debris. I mean fine-tooth comb with
rakes and a lot of it by hand. They pull out and segment, segregate the
large items, the steel beams and whatnot. But it is a thorough, thorough
process, looking for any evidence, looking for individuals, remains of
individuals, that we can help families bring closure to those questions
that they're asking right now. I'm very impressed with the organization
that they have.

**Matt Lauer:**

What's going to happen to all this debris after they are done sifting
through it?

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Well, most of the debris will be, will remain at the Staten Island
landfill, and will be covered up, as it should be. It will be hallowed
ground in years to come. A lot of the major components, the steel, iron
will be probably recycled.

**Matt Lauer:**

We are now just more than six weeks after the attacks.

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

That's correct.

**Matt Lauer:**

There are still people out there who need assistance from the
government. Who need temporary housing. Who need money. Do you want to
go over that 800 number one more time?

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

I do, one more time, if you don't mind. 800-462-9029. And I think it's
on your screen right now. And what I'm focused on, quite frankly, Matt,
is that we have individuals who were displaced from their jobs downtown,
lower Manhattan, south of Houston Street. We have a mortgage and rental
assistance program that will help those folks make ends meet. The
biggest worry that Americans have is making their house payment or their
rental payment. This is a program that is in effect right now. And we
can get those individuals help but they have to register

first.

**Matt Lauer:**

FEMA Director Joe Allbaugh. Joe, thanks very much.

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Thank you, Matt.

**Matt Lauer:**

Always good to have you here.

**Director Joe Allbaugh:**

Good to see you, sir.