Biden promises Kentucky 'long haul' support as tornado recovery continues

Following a wave of deadly tornadoes in the state, President Biden promised Kentucky residents that the federal government would do everything it could to help the commonwealth recover.

“I intend to do whatever it takes as long as it takes, as long as it takes to support your state, your local leaders as you recover and rebuild because you will recover and you will rebuild,” Biden said in Dawson Springs, Ky., on Wednesday, adding that the “scope and scale of destruction is almost beyond belief.”

Biden spent much of Wednesday visiting damaged areas of Kentucky, where at least 71 people were killed by last week’s tornadoes. The president visited the communities of Mayfield and Dawson Springs with Gov. Andy Beshear and Rep. James Comer, a Republican who represents much of the western part of the state most affected by the storms and who accompanied Biden on Air Force One.

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Beshear thanked both Biden and Comer for their recovery efforts, stating that the president “had said yes to every ask we’ve made.” The governor, speaking in his father’s hometown, has called it the worst tornado disaster in the state’s history. Biden said the federal government could grant Beshear’s request to cover the costs of recovery for the first 30 days.

“To all the families here: Keep the faith,” Biden said. “We’re going to get this done, I promise you. The governor’s not walking away. Your county judge is not walking away. Your congressman is not walking away. No one is walking away. We’re in this for the long haul.”

Friday night’s tornadoes hit Kentucky the hardest as they tore across the upper South and lower Midwest. Residents of Illinois, Tennessee, Missouri and Arkansas were also killed. According to Dawson Springs Mayor Chris Smiley, about 75 percent of the town was wiped out. Eight people died at a candle factory in Mayfield, although the count was initially expected to be higher after some night shift workers were missing in the immediate aftermath of the building’s collapse.

“There’s no red tornadoes, there’s no blue tornadoes,” Biden said earlier Wednesday in an airplane hangar in Mayfield, adding, “I’m here to listen.”

During his visit, Biden was joined by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell. The president signed an emergency order on Saturday to provide additional federal support to the state.

The White House told reporters on Wednesday that FEMA had distributed 61 generators to help provide power and was set to provide 144,000 liters of water, 74,000 meals, 18,500 blankets, 5,100 cots and 1,500 tarps to the state. The National Guard and Army Corps of Engineers are also involved in recovery efforts.

“I just want you to know — I’m driving the governor crazy calling him all the time — but there may be things available that would be helpful six weeks, six months from now that you’re unaware of,” Biden said. “And so we’re — I’ve instructed my team to make you all aware of everything that is available from a federal level.”