Anderson Cooper interviews FEMA Dir, Mike Brown... transcript [View All]

ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES

Katrina Aftermath: Live From Bay St. Louis

Aired August 31, 2005 - 19:00 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.



We're talking with the director of FEMA right now, Mike Brown, who is in Baton Rouge.

Director Brown, thank you very much for being with us. First of all, I got to say, I spent the day with a team from FEMA of urban search-and-rescue guys who were working extraordinary work, working around the clock, as I know a lot of people from FEMA are here in the state.

But I got to tell you. I have come across so many people who are outraged and have come up to me today just shaking, saying, "Where is the federal government?"

I mean, this has been more than 48 hours. Where are the troops? Where is the National Guard? Where is the Army? As you know, people are desperate. How do you answer that question? Where are they?

MICHAEL BROWN, FEMA DIRECTOR: They are on the way. They are in the state now. And I want to say unequivocally, Anderson, I understand their frustrations. I've seen this time and time again.

I know how hot they are. I know how miserable they are. I know how their lives have been totally disrupted by these storms.

Now, I will say that we do move in as close as we can to the storms before they hit, but the last thing I want to do is to have those rescue workers be in harm's way as they move in.

But I'm going to push that, because what I'm hearing on your stories, frankly, is unacceptable. That stuff is in Mississippi. I was with the governor yesterday. And we need to start that distribution now.

So that's going to happen. You can tell them you've talked to the FEMA director, and it is going to happen.

COOPER: OK, and I don't want to harp -- you know, FEMA -- look, you're doing God's work here. I spent the day with these guys. There are a lot of people -- there are hundreds of workers, thousands of workers here. They're working hard. So I'm not blasting them.

But I mean, it is getting scary here for people. There are old people in their homes, no electricity, looters running around. Police, you know -- the FEMA team I was with today, they have to have police security now. And they're fearing for their own security. And these are, you know, these are pretty tough guys.

What about air drops of food or air drops of water? I mean, is that feasible? What about bringing things on boats, or bringing in the Army? Is that possible?

BROWN: Anderson, it is possible. And, in fact, the president today said whatever I need I have available. So we have hooked up with Northern Command, with the U.S. Army, with the entire Department of Defense, to start doing that very kind of thing.

This storm is so massive -- and I don't want to make any excuses -- but this storm is so massive that we're going to have to start doing those kinds of things, doing air lifts, getting things in there as quickly as possible.

And we recognize that perhaps the National Guard and local law enforcement can't do that, so we want to come in and help them. So what you're seeing is unacceptable. We're going to speed that up. And we're going to help those people.

COOPER: Mike Brown, I appreciate you joining us. I know you've got a busy day. Thanks very much for your answers. I'm going to pass that along to a lot of people here who are watching literally right here, right now, very upset.

Mike, appreciate it. Thanks very much