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Long time and have experienced these storms many times, power you talking with them about how this is going to be different. And what and so the difference between what theyre used to and what this will be as a way to hopefully give them more encouragement to know that they need to get out you Thank You, Madam Vice President. Yes, weve been emphasizing the size and the intensity of the storm and the direction in which its approaching, which is unusual and really raises that Storm Surge Risk for the West Coast of florida we typically see hurricanes approach the West Coast of florida from the south or southeast, moving parallel to the coast. This track more perpendicular to the coast really raises the Storm Surge Risk. And the size of the storm is going to produce hazardous impacts across much of the peninsula. So weve been hitting the Surge Risk on both coasts. Actually, the Hurricane Force winds, the flooding, rainfall all threat to tornadoes and trying to reemphasize the Scale And Breadth of the threat which is somewhat unusual for milton Thank You and thanks for your good work my question yes, for people listening, what is the what, what is the width of the state of florida . From the Tampa Bay Area across to sebastian. And later in that area to Palm Beach or what kind of distance we talking about . You know across the state of florida, youre probably talking about 150, 200 miles thats an estimate, but the storm is going to be moving 15 miles per hour, so its going to be moving across that area very quickly. And the tropical Storm Force winds, 30, 40 mile per hour winds or greater now extend almost out more than 200 miles from the center theyre going to get even larger as the storm approaches the coastline. So thats going to cause those Wind Impacts to affect much of the state three nash, the questions i think at least for me, having done a lot of this the last three years emphasizes the consequential damage this storm can do. I mean, this is going to enter florida on the west as hurricane and leave as hurricane and thats thats pretty unusual. Why yes. Yes, sir. Thank you Thank You so much we will move on now to the national Weather Service Director Ken Graham all right, thanks, lis, i appreciate it. And wanted to thank Administrator Criswell for for everything through this and dr. Brennan, as well, the hurricane centers been really focused on this and on it with such great forecast the whole way i just wish we could minimize those impacts, but that doesnt look like whats going to happen. So mr. President, Madam Vice President , we continue to work the national Weather Service with our federal, state, and local decisionmakers during the storms we actually have our scientists embedded with fema, the state and local Emergency Operation centers. And we also have our scientists embedded with the u. S. Coast Guard District seven to really help out with these decisions, to make sure that were right there to answer the questions as they come up. Other covering really the subtleties as youve mentioned in this forecast, dr. Brennan mentioned those small changes can make a big difference. Little wiggles really do matter though small wobbles make a difference in the Storm Surge and all these big storms, they wobbled and wiggle all the way in which well see that happening as this gets closer to landfall so as Administrator Criswell said, listen to those local officials, i Cant Stress enough. 30 years with this. Know what 30 years in the Weather Service this is a particularly dangerous track. People really need to be getting into there. Theyre safe locations as the impacts start deteriorating really quickly over the next few hours, words really matter in these storms, even and if the winds decreased somewhat near landfall, we really tried to avoid words like weaken it really gives a false sense of security to the public. So we really want to stress that no matter what happens to that, the Wind Speed in the system, catastrophic impacts will result either way, the size of the Wind Speed the actual size of it will be expanding as dr. Brennan was saying, so much of that impactful cover, most of the Peninsula And Mr. President like like you said, milton, think about it. I just i just goes over my mind over and over. Milton will enter as a Hurricane And Exit as a hurricane, youll see damaged from the Landfall Point on the West Coast. Youll see damage much on the East Coast as well. So its really important to focus on those impacts again seeing those impacts on both coasts were really starting to see the impacts as we speak. I was just looking at the radar before doing this this meeting here and weve got tornadoes already touching down in some spots in florida and some of it confirmed that have touched down as well. And about 90 of those tornadoes occur on that right Front Quadrant of a tropical system. So really are folks are that the Weather Service were on duty 24 hours a day watching that radar to make sure that we could get those warnings out quickly to people so they can take cover and as dr. Bryanna said, think about it. Mike, right . 140 miles wide now were 200 and expect it to be greater than 240 miles away from the center with these winds. So thats a huge area that we could see some of those that damage very concerned about the Storm Surge. And i wanted to double down on something. Its not just, you know, Tampa Bay with that eight to 12 Foot Forecast or ten to 15 down to book a grand day. I mean, you could see five to eight feet of Storm Surge all the way down to chokoloskee. Think about Fort Myers, naples well away from that center, we just got a real keep reminding people theyre not safe even though youre not, you know, not near the center of the storm. So it will continue to really message that as we can the other part of this flooding could last a while. So unlike other areas with elevation, theres not much elevation in florida, so some of these rivers are going to be slow to drain. Some of these rivers can stay up for about a week after the storm. And the Storm Surge will act as a blocker to drain some of that rain from the inland areas. So that could really be at some challenges to some communities with these Flooding And Recovery efforts as some of the roads will be pretty impassable. So you know, i was i was looking at this mr. President, Madam Vice President yesterday, i said the clock was ticking on today. Im saying the Alarm Bells going off, people really need to start getting into their safe place is always the Weather Service remains on duty 24 by seven to make the Decision Makers have all the information they need. And the updates this storm, kinda like to focus on one thing you said, i dont think most people would think it but, you know the idea that sometimes it takes days for rivers, crest after a major storm like this. Are there any particular areas you concerned that you were related to this type of flooding . And how long do you think the Flooding Conditions could last and others, i think people think once once the winds are dying down of gotten through that, okay. Were all set but hes River Flooding are consequential and they takes time, it takes time that Storm Surge pushes up every Nook And Cranny of florida. So it goes up a is goes up river as it fills in all these areas. And then you add that incredible amount of rainfall and that Rain Cant Drain because the Storm Surge hasnt blocked. So just really looking at some of the areas and Hillsborough River Alpha phi a river, the peace river, some of these type of traditional places that could flood we really got to watch those was those areas in those it takes quite a while for that water to drain Thank You very much hey, can i have a question for you . You mentioned Words Matter and um, i know theres a lot of media following this briefing so there have been weve gone from a cat five, jokat four, and the language that a lot of folks have been using his downgrade but it sounds like youre cautioning us that that may communicate a sense that the danger is lessened when in fact its not. Can you talk a little bit about that because i know a lot of folks are watching right now and would love to have your feedback on how we should to be talking about this. You know, we need everybody that communicates to the public to be on the same page with the words, because ive 30 years of doing this, ive seen this so many times. People will think was a cat five now its a cat three, thats not a reason to relax. Thats not weakened. Thats not diminished. That means that we expanded the wind field, the impacts dont change associated with that. And ive seen it listen, Hurricane Florence and other historic hurricane. So we have to be mindful of the words that we use and focus on those impacts, those impacts havent changed. No matter what the Wind Speed does over the next 24 hours Thank You thats very helpful. Thank you. Thank you, director graham, i will go now to Secretary Mayorkas, the Secretary Trump Homeland Security Ally over to you. Thank you very much. Less. Mr. President, Madam Vice President , if i can just pick up on the important for the Words Matter, i want to Thank You for the strength and moral clarity with which you have been speaking to bat down false information that is being spread that false information is only hurting survivors in need of help and it is also hurting the first responders who are so bravely risking their lives to deliver that help to the survivors mr. President, Madam Vice President , we are executing on your directive to not only rely on fema to provide emergency relief, but to draw up on other resources throughout the department of Homeland Security and throughout the federal government, throughout your administration. I know you will hear from the commandant of the united states Coast Guard, linda fagan, the united states Coast Guard. Its deployed almost 1,300 personnel to florida not just for Search And Rescue, but also to ensure the Safety And Security The Port Of Tampa, which is a critical lifeline for supplies that are needed by florida and elsewhere. I want to also say that are u. S. Customs and Border Protection has devoted Search And Rescue personnel as well as other parts of our department to give you just a quick snapshot of some of the resources that are devoted from other parts of the administration. The Department Of Defense is providing Search And Rescue, commodity movement, commodity distribution, and security to florida. We already have one 5 Million meals and 2. 8 million liters of water ready to provide to people in need the u. S. Army corps of engineers is providing temporary power, temporary roofing to pre removal support, and engineering expertise. But u. S Force Administration is also providing debris removal. This is absolutely critical so that our Search And Rescue personnel can reach the people in need and provide them with the humanitarian relief upon which they rely. Health and human services is providing Hospital And Health related support to small Business Administration has done they gave her 137 personnel to assist people who have lost or whose businesses are destroyed to get them back up on their feet and understand what resources are available to them. We have an entire administration dedicated to this effort at your direction in with that, ill pause hey, ali my secretary from all the federal departments and agencies in support of this response then any lacking we, certainly do have all of the resources we are wellpositioned to continue to respond to Hurricane Helene to respond to Hurricane Milton, mr. President, we are meeting the moment and meeting the challenges because of the extraordinary people who have spoken before me well, i, you know, i want to thank the governors. Theyve stepped up you know, all this information going out about how, you know, were devoting all this money to migrants and were all, or even one congresswoman suggesting that i control the weather and implying that im sending it to red states. I mean, stuff off the wall. I safeguard of a comicbook. But you know, people when theyre in trouble, for example and i assist to our administrator. They said that you 750 and thats it youve lost everything. He has 750. Thats thats not thats not thats just, you give me an immediately what you need to get by the next day to get a prescription, to get whatever is are you getting calls already about what were going to be able to deliver for people who get in trouble we are mr. President. Let me say that one of the false narratives is that the federal employees who were actually delivering assistance well take an Individuals Land and that is causing individuals, survivors not to approach the people who were there to help and obtains a relief to which they are entitled and that we have available to them. And the Vice President knows very well as a former prosecutor, that false information only is fueled well for the criminal element to exploit individuals and positions of vulnerability and Madam Vice President , your words at the outset were so very important for that reason Thank You mr. Secretary, i want to Thank You. And the folks in your agency working with fema, noaa and all the federal agencies. Ive seen ive been on the ground and the work that you all have been doing to coordinate with local and State Law Enforcement and first responders has been outstanding. It really does show the best of the kind of work that we do in a moment of crisis to work together. So i applaud the folks that work with you and your leadership in that regard. Thank you, Madam Vice President Thank You Secretary Mayorkas will go now to admiral linda fagan, the commandant of the u. S. Coast guard Thank You. Thank you, mr. President. Madam Vice President. And i want to assure you that that the Coast Guard is ready to respond. We continue to monitor the storm closely and are mindful of how dangerous and devastating the storm is and the potential to the region which is still recovering from Hurricane Helene my senior field commanders are well integrated with both the state and local emergency responders. And it stood up incident commands we continue to search personnel and assets from across the country into the region. And i want to highlight how we prepare for storms. And so we have people in helicopters and aircraft and boats and qatars that would have been in