LIVE UPDATES: Deaths, damage across northern Arkansas after possible tornadoes (2024)

THIS IS BREAKING NEWS. >> GOVERNOR SARAH SANDERS, OTHER OFFICIALS GIVING AN UPDATE ON THE DAMAGE AND RECOVER EFFORTS THAT WE’VE SEEN FOLLOWING LAST NIGHT’S STORMS. WE’RE GOING TO TAKE A LIVE LISTEN NOW. >> SO WE FACE NO MATTER WHAT DIFFICULTIES COME OUR WAY, THE MOMENTS THAT WE THINK ARE GOING TO BE THE THINGS THAT BREAK US, UH, ARE USUALLY AND SHOW OUR VULNERABILITY, ARE USUALLY THE THINGS THAT ULTIMATELY SHOW OUR STRENGTH. AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE SEEN HERE. UH, OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVERAL HOURS. IS THAT THE STRENGTH OF OUR STATE CONTINUES TO BE WHERE IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN, AND THAT IS IN OUR PEOPLE. AND WHILE WE ARE SEEING THE DEVASTATION OF BUSINESSES AND HOMES, UH, ACROSS THIS AREA IN THE NORTHERN PART OF OUR STATE, WE ARE SEEING THE GREAT HUMANITY OF ARKANSANS AND NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS, EVEN WHEN THEIR OWN HOMES AND BUSINESSES ARE DAMAGED, THEY’RE SHOWING UP AND HELPING ONE ANOTHER. UH, THERE’S NOTHING THAT MAKES ME PROUDER TO BE THE GOVERNOR OF OUR STATE. THEN IN MOMENTS LIKE THIS, WHEN WE SEE OUR PEOPLE REALLY SHOW UP AND TAKE CARE OF ONE ANOTHER, UM, IT’S NOT, LIKE I SAID, THE PLACE WE WANT TO BE IN. BUT IF WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH SOMETHING THIS DIFFICULT, I’M GLAD TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE REPRESENTED HERE TODAY. IT’S GOING TO TAKE CONSTANT COORDINATION BETWEEN OUR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS. UH, I’M INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SUCH GREAT, GREAT RELATIONS WITH OUR MAYORS, WITH OUR COUNTY JUDGES, WITH OUR COUNTY SHERIFF, UH, WITH OUR FEDERAL DELEGATION. UH, WE HAVE ALREADY HAD A NUMBER OF CONTACTS WITH THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION AND WE ARE IN REGULAR COORDINATION WITH THEM. WE ARE IN STILL AN ASSESSMENT PHASE. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS IN THE IMMEDIATE ON THE RESCUE SIDE AS WE MOVE INTO THE RECOVERY. THE REBUILDING EFFORTS WILL COME. THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A SHORT PROCESS, UH, BUT A LONG ROAD AHEAD. BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT NOT ONLY WILL OUR CITY, COUNTY, STATE, AND FEDERAL PARTNERS, WE WILL WORK TOGETHER UNTIL WE GET EVERYBODY BACK WHOLE AND OPEN BUSINESSES OPEN, AND WE ARE GOING TO BE THERE EVERY SINGLE STEP OF THE WAY. AND I’M THANKFUL FOR EACH OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE UP HERE THAT WE WILL WORK WITH TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND TURN IT OVER TO SENATOR BOOZMAN TO MAKE A FEW REMARKS. UM, AND THEN EACH OF US WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. >> WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND WE APPRECIATE THE GOVERNOR’S LEADERSHIP. I’M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE SENATE AND MYSELF AND SENATOR COTTON TO LEND WHATEVER EFFORT WE CAN. UH, AGAIN, AS AS THE GOVERNOR MENTIONED WITH THIS COORDINATION BETWEEN THE CITY, STATE, UH, COUNTY AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. UH, I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. UH, THEY’VE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB. SADLY, I’VE BEEN TO MANY DISASTERS THROUGHOUT OUR STATES IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. AND AGAIN, THEY’VE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB, BUT ALSO ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT RIGHT NOW, AS WE SPEAK, ARE WORKING SO HARD TO TRY AND GET OUR UTILITIES BACK ON ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE SO, SO VERY DIFFICULT. I ALSO WILL THROW YOU ALL IN IN THE SENSE THAT, UH, WE DO APPRECIATE YOU. I THINK LIVES WERE PROBABLY SAVED LAST NIGHT BECAUSE OF THE GREAT JOB THAT YOU ALL DID, ALERTING PEOPLE THAT THIS TRULY WAS A VERY, VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IN SO, UH, AND THEN LASTLY, ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, I GOT OUT THIS MORNING, I’M DRIVING THE ROADWAYS LIKE LIKE SO MANY IN THIS ROOM DO. BUT AS THE DAY PROGRESSED, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WERE OUT AGAIN HELPING THEIR NEIGHBORS, UH, TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER. SO. SO, LIKE I SAY, WE’RE HERE TO TO TO, UH, HELP, UH, IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN WITH THE COORDINATION, WORKING WITH FEMA, WORKING WITH SMALL BUSINESS, ALL OF THE FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT WILL COME INTO PLAY MORE AND MORE AS TIME GOES ON, AS WE RECVER FROM THIS. >> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK THE GOVERNOR FOR, UH, CUTTING SHORT, UH, HER FAMILY TRIP TODAY TO MAKE IT BACK IN TIME FOR THIS BRIEFING. AND, UH, AND I TRULY APPRECIATE, GOVERNOR, YOUR, UH, PERSONAL ATTENTION TO WHAT’S GOING ON HERE. THIS IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT WEATHER RELATED TRAGEDY THAT WE’VE HAD SINCE, CERTAINLY SINCE 2019, WHEN A TORNADO HIT THIS AREA. UH, BUT MY EXPERIENCE DATES BACK TO 2009. IN THIS MASSIVE ICE STORM THAT WE HAD CERTAINLY A LOT LESS DANGEROUS, UH, BUT NONETHELESS DID PROVIDE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY, TREE DAMAGE TO THE AREA. I THINK IT IS NOTEWORTHY TO RECOGNIZE THAT ASIDE FROM THE UNFORTUNATE FATALITY OUT ON CANAL STREET NEAR MONTINI, UH, THAT AS DANGEROUS AS THIS STORM APPEARED TO BE, AND AS IT PROVED TO BE, TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT THROUGH TO THIS WEATHER RELATED EVENT WITH SO FEW CASUALTIES, I THINK IS REMARKABLE AND A TESTAMENT TO THE WORK OF THE MEDIA AND A TESTAMENT TO THE WORK OF THE COUNTIES AND THEIR EMERGENCY SERVICES DEPARTMENT S THAT ARE BECOMING VERY GOOD AT FOREWARNING PEOPLE A VERY DANGEROUS CIRc*msTANCES, AND WE SHOULD BE FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR THAT. I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE SAID, THOUGH, THAT WE ARE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET. AT ALL IT TAKES IS A DRIVE DOWN SOME OF THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARES IN BENTON COUNTY, AND YOU WILL RECOGNIZE QUICKLY THERE ARE STILL POWER LINES ON THE GROUND POSING GREAT DANGER TO PEOPLE IF IN FACT THEY WERE TO BECOME CHARGED AND THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF TREES, BIG, UH, ROOT BALLS IN THESE KINDS OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO POSE A CHALLENGE TO BE ABLE TO REMOVE AND THAT IN ITSELF IS GOING TO CREATE SOME DANGER TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING IN AND AROUND, UH, THIS DEBRIS AS IT BECOMES REMOVED. I THINK PEOPLE ARE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO BECOME VERY PATIENT AND UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO RECOVER FROM THIS THING OVERNIGHT, RIGHT. IT’S GOING TO TAKE WEEKS AND PROBABLY MONTHS THAT WE’LL STILL SEE THE AFTER EFFECTS OF THIS PARTICULAR STORM. UM, BUT LIKE SENATOR BOOZMAN SAID, THE FIRST RESPONDERS, UH, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT THERE TRYING TO GET POWER RESTORED, AND WE HAVE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE WITHOUT POWER AND THEY’RE GOING TO NEED TO RELY ON THAT POWER. WE’VE ALREADY HAD ONE CIRc*msTANCE OF A LADY LOSING POWER. THAT WAS A COPD PATIENT AND DID NOT HAVE OXYGEN, AND PERISHED AS A RESULT OF THAT HEALTH EMERGENCY. THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO REMIND OURSELVES AS WE MOVE OURSELVES BACK INTO, UH, SOME, SOME FORM OF, OF NORMAL LIFE. IT’S ALSO MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. AND THAT FURTHER COMPLICATES MATTERS. BUT I THINK ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS WE CAN UNDERSTAND IS THAT SCHOOL HAS NOW OFFICIALLY ENDED IT. I THINK FOR THE MOST PART IN THIS AREA. SO, UH, HAVING THE APPLICATION OF GETTING, YOU KNOW, SCHOOLS OPEN AND KIDS BACK IN CLASSES, UH, IS NOT AN ISSUE FOR US, RIGHT NOW. SO, UH, WE’LL ALL WORK TOGETHER, I PROMISE YOU, SENATOR BOOZMAN, MYSELF, SENATOR COTTON, OTHER MEMBERS OF THE FEDERAL DELEGATION ARE GOING TO ENGAGE THE FEDERAL, UH, BUREAUCRACY AND, UH, WHATEVER WE NEED. I’M ABSOLUTELY CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL PUT THE RIGHT, UH, UH, PRESSURE ON THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET A SPEEDY, A VERY TIMELY RESPONSE TO THIS PARTICULAR DISASTER. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> I HAVE A QUESTION. >> UM, HOLD ON JUST A SECOND. SORRY FOR. >> ALL RIGHT. UH, GET. EVENING. I’M AJ GARY. I’M THE DIRECTOR OF ARKANSAS DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND JUST BE REAL BRIEF. UH, WE STARTED GETTING CALLS FROM THE COUNTY, UH, IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE EVENT LAST NIGHT. UH, WE ACTIVATED THE STATE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER THIS MORNING. UH, EARLY THIS MORNING. UH, I HAD TEAMS COMMUNICATING- WITH FEMA, UH, SMALL BUSINESS- ADMINISTRATION, ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS, AND SO FORTH. WE DO HAVE A FEMA TEAM THAT IS HERE, UH, AT, UH, HERE IN THE STATE. THEY ARRIVED ABOUT 3 P.M. TODAY. UH, AND THEY WILL BE WORKING WITH OUR TEAM AND ALSO WITH THE COUNTY AND CITIES, UH, DOING PRELIMINARY DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS, DETERMINING WHAT DAMAGES THERE ARE. AND, UH, MOVING FORWARD FROM THERE. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR COMING, UH, THIS EVENING. THIS HAS BEEN A VERY TRAGIC DAY FOR, UH, FOR BENTON COUNTY, BUT ALSO AN UPLIFTING DAY BECAUSE WHAT YOU’RE SEEING HERE IS THIS PARTNERSHIP. AND IT IS VERY REAL. AND IT DID START AT ABOUT 230 IN THE MORNING, UH, WHEN I MADE THE CALL TO BASICALLY DECLARE A STATE OF EMERGENCY HERE IN BENTON COUNTY. AND SINCE THEN, THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN THIS ROOM HAVE, UH, GIVEN US SUCH GREAT ASSISTANCE, WHETHER IT’S OUR FEDERAL DELEGATES HELPING WITH FEMA, UH, THE GOVERNOR SANDERS ADMINISTRATION, I’VE RECEIVED MULTIPLE CALLS REACHING OUT TO HELP OUT HERE IN BENTON COUNTY. AND I CAN’T TELL YOU HOW MUCH ASSURANCE THAT GIVES US AS YOU’RE DRIVING DOWN STREETS THAT REALLY JUST TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY. AND SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. UH, WE WILL NOW GO INTO A RECOVERY PHASE. OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, YOU’LL SEE MORE AND MORE COMMUNICATIONS COMING OUT OF BENTON COUNTY, AS WELL AS OUR CITIES. AND A LOT OF THOSE COMMUNICATIONS WILL BE BACKED BY THAT PARTNERSHIP. YOU SEE HERE TONIGHT. AND SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING GOING WITH RECOVERY, JUST LIKE WE HAVE IN PREVIOUS DISASTERS. AND APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE. OKAY. >> NOW WE’LL TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS. SORRY. >> NO PROBLEM GUYS I’M MATTHEW MOORE WITH KTLA PUBLIC RADIO. >> UH, YOU WERE MAYOR ROGERS FOR 12 YEARS. DOES THIS FEEL ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO BE HERE RIGHT NOW? >> WELL, IT DOES, UH, AS AS WE SPEAK, I WAS SCHEDULED TO BE AT THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT ON THE MALL WHERE I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ABLE TO EMCEE THE AFTER EVENT OVER AT THE INDIAN MUSEUM. SO I, UH, CUT THAT SHORT THIS MORNING AND, UH, RETURNED FOR THIS PARTICULAR, UH, TRAGEDY. UM, BUT, LIKE, I SPOKE, YOU KNOW, IN, IN ZERO NINE, WE HAD A, WE HAD A TERRIBLE EVENT, AN ICE STORM. AND, UH, AND I SAW WHAT WHAT YOU’RE SEEING TODAY. I SAW PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE, UH, AND THE UNIFYING EFFECT IT HAS WHEN THERE’S A TRAGEDY LIKE THIS AND PEOPLE NATURALLY WANT TO HELP EACH OTHER, SO THEY RESPOND. AND, UH, WE JUST HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THERE’S STILL A LOT OF DANGER OUT THERE. UM, ON MY WAY HERE, A GUY DROVE RIGHT THROUGH A COUPLE OF POWER LINES. THEY WEREN’T ACTIVE. UH, BUT THERE HE WAS IN HIS VEHICLE. CONCERN FOR HIS LIFE. THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS YOU HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT WHEN YOU’VE HAD SUCH A DEVASTATING EVENT. AND WE’RE STILL UNDER 24 HOURS THIS IS WHAT LEADERS DO. THEY, THEY RESPOND IN A TIME OF GREAT NEED, PARTICULARLY THOSE OF US THAT HAVE CONNECTIONS TO THE, UH, THE VARIOUS AGENCIES THAT ARE GOING TO HELP US RECOVER FROM THIS. AND, AND I KNOW I SPEAK FOR SENATOR BOOZMAN. SENATOR COTTON, WE WE’RE ENGAGED WITH OUR FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY IN A UNIQUE WAY. WE HAVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS IN PLACE. YOU KNOW, WAS TEXTING ISABEL GUZMAN FROM SBA AS WE WERE SPEAKING HERE TONIGHT, UH, ENCOURAGING HER TO COME SEE FOR HERSELF BECAUSE WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESS ACTIVITY THAT’S GOING TO TAKE PLACE AS A RESULT OF WHAT WE’VE ALL EXPERIENCED. SO THOSE ARE THAT’S JUST A SAMPLE OF WHAT WE WILL DO AS FEDERAL, UH, MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION TO HELP OUR COUNTY THROUGH THIS VERY TRAGIC EVENT. >> ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL DETAILS THAT CAN BE PROVIDED ON THE LIFE LOST HERE IN BENTON COUNTY OVERNIGHT? >> THERE YOU GO. MORE STATEWIDE IF YOU WANT TO GO IN COUNTY SPECIFICALLY, WE DON’T HAVE ANY MORE DETAILS THAN I THINK WHAT’S BEEN PROVIDED THE THE THE FATALITY THAT WE HAD, IT WAS ON CANAL STREET AND IT HAPPENED WITH A TREE THAT WENT OVER ONTO, UH, ONTO A TRAILER, UH, VERY TRAGIC CIRc*msTANCE, BUT WE DON’T HAVE TOO MANY MORE DETAILS OF THAT. >> RIGHT NOW. UM, AND THAT’S ALL I CAN TALK ABOUT WITH THAT FATALITY. >> AND THAT’S THE ONLY ONE IN BENTON COUNTY. >> WE’VE HAD TWO OTHER FATALITY THAT WERE SOMEWHAT ATTRIBUTES TO THE EVENT ITSELF. UH, CONGRESSMAN WOMACK MENTIONED ONE OF THOSE, UH, WHERE WE HAD A PERSON WHO HAD THEIR OXYGEN. UH, THEY COULDN’T HAVE THEIR OXYGEN ANYMORE BECAUSE OF A LACK OF ELECTRICITY. AND WE HAD ANOTHER PERSON, UH, THAT HAD A HEART ATTACK. UM, SO NOT NECESSARILY DIRECTLY OF THE EVENT, BUT HAVE BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO THE EVENT. >> AND IF I COULD JUST PIGGYBACK TOTAL STATEWIDE, UH, BASED OFF OF THE LAST 24 HOURS, WE’RE LOOKING AT CURRENTLY EIGHT CONFIRMED FATALITIES FOR THE STATE GOVERNOR SANDERS, I KNOW YOU JUST GOT BACK INTO ARKANSAS. >> UM, I KNOW YOU HAD A CHANCE TO SEE SOME OF THE IMAGES, KIND OF WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR MIND. AND DO YOU HOPE TO HAVE A CHANCE TO GO OUT AND VISIT SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED? >> ABSOLUTELY. PLAN TO SPEND ALL DAY TOMORROW TRAVELING THROUGH, UH, THIS AREA OF THE STATE AND, UH, MEETING WITH AND ADDRESSING WHAT OUR GREATEST IMMEDIATE NEEDS ARE. UM, CERTAINLY IT’S DEVASTATING TO SEE, UM, AND ANY TIME YOU HAVE THE LOSS OF LIFE, THE LOSS OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES, UM, AND A COMMUNITY IMPACTED IN THIS WAY, UH, IT’S INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT. BUT I THINK WHAT YOU’VE HEARD FROM EACH OF US WHO HAVE HAD THE CHANCE TO TALK WITH PEOPLE ON THE GROUND AND SEE WITH OUR OWN EYES, UH, THERE ARE, UH, IN THE MIDST OF TOTAL DEVASTATION ON THE BRIGHT POINTS. ARE ALL OF THE PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER AND TAKING CARE OF ONE ANOTHER AND LOOKING OUT FOR THEIR NEIGHBORS AND THEIR COMMUNITY AND DOING WHATEVER IT TAKES TO HELP GET PEOPLE TAKEN CARE OF. AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT WE’RE GOING TO DO. UM, AND UNTIL EVERY PERSON HAS WHAT THEY NEED, UH, WE ARE COMMITTED FROM A STATE LEVEL, FEDERAL LEVEL, AND CERTAINLY ON THE LOCAL LEVEL TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF OUR STATE, UH, GET BACK ON THEIR FEET. DO YOU ANTICIPATE CALLING THE NATIONAL OR THE, UH, ARKANSAS STATE GUARD TO BE INVOLVED IN CLEANUP AT ALL? IF, IF, IF DEEMED NECESSARY? ABSOLUTELY. WE WOULDN’T HESITATE TO DO THAT. GENERAL STUBBS IS HERE TO MAKE THAT ASSESSMENT ALONG WITH DIRECTOR GARY. AND THAT’S WHAT WE’LL BE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 24 HOURS. AND IF IF WE MAKE A DETERMINATION THAT’S NEEDED, ABSOLUTELY, GOVERNOR. YES, SIR. >> YOU SAID THAT THE RESCUE IS GOING TO BE A PRIORITY. >> I TAKE THAT TO MEAN HELPING PEOPLE WHO ARE STRANDED AND HOMELESS, AS OPPOSED TO DIGGING PEOPLE OUT OF THE WRECKAGE. UH, ABSOLUTELY. >> AND AJ AND COLONEL HAGER, I DON’T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, BUT CERTAINLY IN THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH, ANY TIME YOU HAVE A STORM OF THIS LEVEL AND THIS TYPE OF DEVASTATION, THE FIRST THING WE LOOK AT IS HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS ACCOUNTED FOR? AND THAT’S THE PROCESS THAT WE’RE IN RIGHT NOW. UM, WE’LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT AS MANY PEOPLE AS ARE NEEDED ARE OUT THERE LOOKING AND ACCOUNTING FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL ARKANSAN. >> YES, SIR. SEE8 NUMBER YOU MENTIONED INCLUDE HEART ATTACK AND COPD. >> UM, THE EIGHT NUMBER WOULD INCLUDE THOSE TWO AS WELL. YES, SIR. >> ONE MORE THAT I FROM A NOT DIRECTLY RELATED BECAUSE IT WAS A DIFFERENT COUNTY PERHAPS. >> YEAH. OUTSIDE I WOULD HAVE. >> I’M NOT SURE I FOLLOW EXACTLY WHAT I’VE BEEN TOLD. >> TWO DIED IN MARION COUNTY, ONE IN BOONE AND ONE IN BAXTER, AND ONE IN BENTON. SO THAT’S FIVE DIRECTLY RELATED. SO THEN IF WE HAVE TWO MORE IN BENTON THAT AREN’T DIRECTLY RELATED, I’M WONDERING WHAT THE OTHER ONE. >> I’M HAPPY TO GET THE BREAKDOWN OF THE COUNTY AFTER OF THOSE WERE THE NUMBERS I WAS GIVEN JUST BEFORE WE STARTED, SO THERE MAY BE SOME UPDATED INFORMATION. YES, SIR. >> OKAY, GO INTO FINANCE. DID YOU CORRECTLY? YOU’RE GOING TO BE IN. YOU’RE GOING TO BE HERE. NORTHWEST ARKANSAS? YES, SIR. BUT YOU’RE MAINLY GOING TO BE TOURING AND VISITING WITH PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE STORM. IT’S NOT GOING TO BE LIKE A PRESS ENTOURAGE. WE DON’T GET TO FOLLOW YOU AROUND TOWN. DO WE? >> IF YOU WANT TO SPEND THE DAY WITH ME, YOU’RE WELCOME TO COME. BUT I KNOW THAT’S WHAT YOU’RE ACTUALLY ASKING. SO, UH, IF IF YOU CAN BE MORE DIRECT. DOUG, WE’VE KNOWN EACH OTHER A LONG TIME, BUT CERTAINLY WE’RE GOING TO BE HERE ALL DAY. OUR GOAL IS TO ASSESS THE NEEDS, UH, AND FIGURE OUT WHAT IS NECESSARY. AND WHAT RESOURCES WE NEED TO PROVIDE. UH, TO HELP ADDRESS WHATEVER PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR IN THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH. AND SO, UM, HAPPY FOR YOU GUYS TO JOIN, SIR. >> THEN. DIDN’T MEAN TO INTERRUPT, BUT IF THE LOCAL OFFICIALS, WE’D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT THEY NEED, YOU KNOW, FAR AWAY. IF YOU WANT TO. >> KNOW, UM. >> WELL, I WOULD SAY THAT THE THE NEEDS WE HAVE IMMEDIATELY WE ARE TO START TAKING ASSESSMENT OF JUST HOW MUCH DAMAGE WE HAVE. I THINK WE ARE MOVING BEYOND THE, THE, UH, THE LIFE SAFETY, UH, PHASE. WE’RE NOT ENTIRELY THROUGH THAT, BUT WE’LL NEED TO TURN VERY QUICKLY TO GETTING OUR LIVES BACK TO NORMAL. AND THAT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH ASSESSING THE DAMAGE, BOTH PUBLIC DAMAGE AND PRIVATE DAMAGE. WORKING WITH ADAM, WORKING WITH FEMA AND THE PARTNERS YOU SEE UP HERE, AND ENSURING THAT WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP PEOPLE GET BACK TO THEIR NORMAL LIVES. THERE ARE PEOPLE TRAGICALLY AFFECTED TONIGHT. UM, AND THEY’RE GOING TO WONDER, HOW DO I PUT MY LIFE BACK TOGETHER? AND PART OF OUR ROLE IS TO WORK WITH ALL AVAILABLE LOCAL AND FEDERAL RESOURCES TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. >> WHAT ABOUT INJURIES OR THE MEDICAL, UH, THE MEDICAL FOLKS FACING ANY KIND OF PROBLEMS? >> YEAH, I ACTUALLY I’M LOOKING AROUND BECAUSE I INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, WE HAVEN’T HAD TOO MANY, UH, TRANS SPORTS. WE’VE HAD JUST A FEW. I DON’T HAVE THAT EXACT NUMBER, DOUG. WE CAN GET THAT NUMBER LATER. YEAH, BUT I’D SAY THAT THE MEDICAL. >> YEAH, LESS THAN TEN, LESS THAN TEN? >> YEAH. WE THINK WE MIGHT HAVE LESS THAN TEN. OKAY. YEAH.