Obama Thanks First Responders, Agencies for Hurricane Sandy Response

American Forces Press Service

President Barack Obama today thanked and praised first responders, volunteers and members of federal and nongovernment agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Red Cross, the National Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard, for their efforts in aiding citizens living along the Eastern Seaboard who were impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

This weekend, millions of our fellow Americans are still picking up the pieces from one of the worst storms in our history, " Obama said in his weekly video address to the nation. I toured New Jersey on Wednesday with Governor Christie, and witnessed some of the terrible devastation firsthand. "

It`s heartbreaking. Families have lost loved ones. Entire communities have been wiped away, " the president continued. Even some of the first responders who repeatedly put themselves in harm`s way to bravely save the lives of others have suffered losses of their own. Today, I ask everyone to keep them in your prayers. "

The Category 1 superstorm had marched north off the U.S. East Coast until making landfall Oct. 29 near Atlantic City, N.J. Sandy is responsible for more than 100 deaths nationally. The storm devastated oceanside areas in New York and New Jersey and other coastal communities along the Eastern Seaboard and the storm knocked out power for millions of residents -- paralyzing New York City and much of the surrounding area.

The president called upon all federal agencies to lean-forward to help impacted communities during Hurricane Sandy response and recovery efforts led by FEMA. The Department of Defense has been mobilized to support Sandy response and recovery efforts. Nearly 7,400 Army and Air National Guard soldiers and airmen in nine eastern states are performing communications, engineering, evacuation, medical, security, search and rescue, sheltering, debris removal and transportation missions.