FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell said President Joe Biden will “bring hope” to the people of Hawaii when he visits next week and blamed “traumatic events” on the ground for the government’s slow response.
Criswell briefed Biden in the Oval Office about the devastating wildfires before participating in the daily White House press briefing, where she defended the administration’s handling of the situation.
“This community is going through some amazing traumatic events,” she said. “We know we have to reach everyone.”
She said people were scattered around the area, saying with friends and in shelters, making it difficult to reach people. But she said Federal Emergency Management Agency employees “will continue to go out into communities to make sure anyone who needs help can get help.”
The White House has announced that Joe and Jill Biden will visit Hawaii on Monday as it has struggled to deal with criticism of the president’s handling of the devastating fires in the islands.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell, brief reporters
“The President and First Lady will travel to Maui on Monday, August 21 to meet with first responders, survivors and federal, state and local officials in the wake of deadly wildfires,” the White House announced.
Biden said on Tuesday he would visit the state if he did not interfere with rescue efforts. He was criticized earlier this week for refusing to comment on the fires that killed more than 100 people.
And during his speech in Milwaukee on Tuesday, the president seemed to forget the name Maui, referring to the island as “the island you see on television all the time.”
Criswell will travel to Hawaii with the Bidens and she said he will “bring hope.”
“I know that when the president goes on a trip, he can bring hope,” she said. “I think it will really have a positive impact.”
She said Biden called Hawaii Governor Josh Green when they were in the Oval Office to talk about the situation on the ground and the upcoming visit.
“Our biggest goal was to make sure we didn’t interfere with our search and rescue teams’ ability to continue their operations,” she noted.
“And when I just informed the president and he talked to the governor, he asked the governor if it was a good time.”
She said the Bidens will be in an area where bailouts “will not be affected.”
President Joe Biden will visit Hawaii with First Lady Jill Biden on Monday
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre pushed back on Wednesday at criticism of the president’s handling of the Maui wildfires, insisting that “we are taking this incredibly seriously.”
“You will continue to hear from the president. He can’t wait to go to Maui to see for himself,” she told CNN’s This Morning.
“The president has said, you’ve heard him say publicly that the first lady and himself are going to Hawaii, if we know they’re not disruptive,” she noted.
Tuesday’s remarks were Biden’s first major comments about one of the deadliest wildfires in US history.
He countered criticism that his administration has not done enough to help Maui, saying, “The Army helicopters helped suppress fire on the Big Island because there are still some fires on the Big Island — not the ones that, not the ones where you see on television all the time.’
The president was also accused of being insensitive over the weekend. He was in Rehoboth Beach with the first lady and on his way to the beach with friends when asked about the rising death toll in Hawaii.
“No comment,” he replied.
But Jean-Pierre argued that Biden has faced many natural disasters during his presidency and has shown up for the people in crisis.
“Unfortunately, this president has faced many disasters in the past two years. He showed up and he’s been there,” she told CNN. “So we’ll be there for the people of Maui until they need us during this time.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded to criticism of Biden’s handling of the Maui wildfires, insisting ‘we are taking this incredibly seriously’
A cadaver dog guides search and rescue personnel through a parking lot destroyed by the Lahaina fire that killed more than 100 people
Rescue teams are huddling as they try to find the 1,300 people who are still missing after the fire in Lahaina swept through the city last week. The death toll stands at more than 100
President Joe and Jill Biden leave Friday for a vacation in Lake Tahoe — above the couple at Joint Base Andrews last week
President Biden flies to Lake Tahoe on Friday for another summer vacation. He will remain there until next Thursday, per White House guidelines.
He will likely interrupt that trip to visit Hawaii, where the death toll stands at 106. And 1,300 people are still missing.
The fire that swept through Lahaina nearly a week ago destroyed nearly every building in the city of 13,000 and left behind a mountain of rubble. That fire is 85% under control, according to the province. Another blaze known as the Upcountry fire is 60% contained, officials told the Associated Press.
There is an estimated $5.6 billion in damage.
Exclusive photos from DailyMail.com show how rescue efforts are still underway, even as hopes of being found alive in the devastated city are fading.
The harrowing images also show how little is left standing in historic Lahaina.
Thousands of people are staying in shelters, in hotel rooms and Airbnb units, or with friends.
About 2,000 homes and businesses are still without electricity and the fire has contaminated much of the water supply.