At least 11 people are dead and 150 people are missing while search and rescue teams continue Race to find the missing. No survivors have been found since last week.
“You want to thank the heroic first responders, search and rescue teams and everyone who worked tirelessly around the clock, and to meet with the families who endured this terrible tragedy and await in fear and heartache for the news of their loved ones for them To offer comfort as the search and rescue efforts continue, “White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday.
Psaki continued, “They want to ensure that state and local officials have the resources and assistance they need under the emergency declaration approved by the President for Miami-Dade, Florida.”
A White House official says the administration worked closely with officials from local and state departments ahead of Biden’s visit to Florida on Thursday to ensure that no resources used in the search and rescue operation are diverted.
Local police and fire services are typically involved in a presidential visit to secure the roads and stand by in case of an emergency. The White House received assurances that if the condominium collapsed, the on-site teams would not be stripped for Biden.
It will also be determined whether he will meet with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who toured the website with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell this weekend.
Biden spoke to DeSantis by phone late last week.
The president will consider the recommendations of a federal security committee while directing the federal government’s investigation into the cause of the collapse.
Psaki told reporters Tuesday that Biden will use the board’s findings to determine how infrastructure such as residential towers can be better protected against catastrophic failures.
“They announced that they have dispatched a team of six scientists and engineers to gather first-hand information about the towers and the collapse of the Champlain Towers South that will be used to determine whether an investigation or study is in progress” Psaki said in response to a question from CNN’s Allie Malloy. “Of course the President would support that, and we would certainly look out if this is a decision to see how we can help protect infrastructure across the country.”
The president issued an emergency declaration to approve federal aid and said Friday that his government was doing everything in its power to help those affected.
The cause of the collapse is still unknown, but a letter sent months before the fatal collapse warned that damage to the building was accelerating after a 2018 report raised concerns about structural damage.
Biden spent the weekend with his family at Camp David, but officials said the president received briefings every day by phone and from a traveling national security adviser, Yohannes Abraham.
Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett told CNN’s John Berman on “New Day” that “waves of men and women” are involved in the search and rescue efforts of the collapsed building. He said there were concerns about falling debris on the site.
Criswell said Tuesday the devastation at the site was “difficult to put into words”. She praised the local rescue efforts and also noted that FEMA is on site and has a recovery center that works with families and loved ones affected by the collapse.
“Our hearts go out to all families and loved ones affected by this event,” Criswell said at a congressional hearing Tuesday.
This story has been updated with additional information.
