‘We are here for the long haul,’ Harris says after seeing damage here
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - On Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris came to Augusta along with U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff to tour the damage left by Hurricane Helene and to meet with local officials.
She landed at Augusta Regional Airport shortly after 2:30 p.m. and then received a briefing from local officials at the Augusta Utilities offices.
From the head of a table and wearing a black windbreaker, she was flanked on one side by Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson.
“I’m here to listen,” she said when talking to Johnson.
After the briefing, which was closed to the media, she went on a tour of storm damage in the city.
PHOTO GALLERY:
The survey included a stop at Golden Camp Road and Tara Circle, where she gave remarks beginning just after 4:30 from a heavily damaged property.
She seemed shaken by the loss of life the community has suffered.
“I’m here today to thank all of those who are working to get folks the help they so desperately need and deserve,” Harris said from a podium surrounded by fallen trees.
She said she had spoken with a woman who’d just lost her husband – one of seven people killed by the storm in Augusta-Richmond County and 24 across the CSRA.
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“There is real pain and trauma that has resulted because of this hurricane,” Harris said.
She said she wanted to acknowledge the first responders whose heroism has been extraordinary – selfless work that is “about lifting up people.”
“Most of them are folks who have personally experienced loss and devastation and yet they leave their home, leave their family ... to help perfect strangers,” Harris said.
She said she and Biden have been paying close attention to the hurricane’s aftermath to make sure federal resources hit the ground quickly.
She noted the resources that have already come to bear, including $750 checks from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for people who have immediate needs due to the hurricane.
She noted that FEMA personnel are going door to door in Augusta to interact personally with people affected by the storm and help them apply for assistance.
She noted that people can also apply for the aid online.
She said FEMA has already provided tens of thousands more dollars to help people make home repairs, cover deductibles and pay for hotel costs.
She said a new development is that Biden has approved 100% federal reimbursement of local governments’ costs due to the hurricane.
She said that will have a huge impact on making help available to people.
“We are here for the long haul,” Harris said. Even after the initial help, there’s a lot of work that needs to be done over the following days, weeks and months, she said.
She said that in these moments of hardship, one of the beautiful things is that people really rally together.
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“It really highlights the fact that the vast majority of us have more in common than what separates us,” she said.
It’s been a week of political visits due to Helene.
Gov. Brian Kemp came to Augusta on Monday and was in Thomson on Wednesday.
Also in Augusta on Monday was Sen. Raphael Warnock.
Meanwhile, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster was in Aiken on Monday and Sen. Lindsey Graham will be there Thursday.
President Joe Biden will be in Georgia on Thursday, although he’ll reportedly be in Valdosta.
On Monday, Harris visited Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters, where she received a follow-up briefing on the ongoing impacts of Hurricane Helene and thanked federal personnel and first responders for their work to impacted communities.
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The city posted online that it is “actively collaborating” with agencies. News 12 is pushing for more specific evidence.
During her remarks, she made it clear the Biden-Harris istration “will continue to do everything we can to help you recover and to help you rebuild – no matter how long it takes.”
Early Friday, the Category 1 Helene hit Augusta, knocking out power to most of the city, toppling trees onto homes, killing nearly 25 people across the CSRA and leading to a more than two-day shutdown of Augusta’s water system.
Harris’ visit will come just a day after Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Richmond, Columbia and Jefferson counties.
The White House said Harris has spoken with Georgia leaders, including Gov. Brian Kemp and Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, ahead of her planned visit to the state.
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