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American Morning

Interview With Wilmington, N.C. Mayor Harper Peterson

Aired September 16, 2003 - 07:08   ET

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

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


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, became part of the Department of Homeland Security last March. And a little bit earlier today I spoke with the department's secretary, Tom Ridge, and asked him whether there might be a concern about a shortage of national guardsmen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM RIDGE, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: We have, literally, dozens of semi-trailers parked and available to move and ready to move along the projected path. And, again, it's not an absolute science. But right now, we're fairly certain as to where it will hit landfall. We're prepared and can make adjustments at the last minute.

But we'll pre-position those supplies. We've got emergency communications equipment ready to move. We've got urban search-and- rescue teams on call, emergency medical teams on call. Today at around 12:30, we'll have a video conference with all of the emergency management operations along the East Coast.

So, again, with the science and technology available to us in the 21st century, we are far better able to prepare ourselves in anticipation of a storm of this severity.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Well, cities in the path of the storm are preparing for the very worst. Harper Peterson is the mayor of Wilmington, North Carolina, and he joins us from nearby Wrightsville Beach to tell us just how the city is coping and getting ready this morning.

Good morning to you, Mr. Mayor. Thanks for joining us.

MAYOR HARPER PETERSON, WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA: Thank you, Soledad. Good morning to you. It's a beautiful day on the Cape Fear Coast, and unfortunately, it's going to change dramatically over the course of this day.

O'BRIEN: So, give me a sense then of what you're doing to prepare, when you really don't know if Wilmington is going to be hit or missed.

PETERSON: Regardless, we'll be prepared. We've been through this exercise five times in the last eight years. We've been hit by five hurricanes beginning in 1996 with Bertha and Fran, and then with Floyd in 1999. So, we work together as a city and a county, the beach communities, right up to the state and federal level. Communication is good, and the coordination is our key.

O'BRIEN: Let's talk...

PETERSON: We're coordinated and ready to move.

O'BRIEN: Let's talk a little bit about coordination. I know that there was, I guess, a rehearsal essentially of reversing the flow of I-40, making everything that was going eastbound head out westbound. How did that rehearsal go? And do you have expectations that that's something you're going to have to do?

PETERSON: Well, this would be a first if we had to evacuate and use both east and west lanes to bring people out of the coastal areas. But we're working with our Highway Patrol, our sheriff's department and our police in surrounding counties, so we're confident, and we're getting the word out to our communities so they'll be prepared.

O'BRIEN: Give me some of the specific advice that you're giving the folks in your community. Are you telling them to be prepared to grab a bag and get out?

PETERSON: Right. We've given them a list -- a shopping list. Also, we'll stay in close communication throughout today, through the evening and tomorrow.

We'll meet -- our emergency management team will meet later today, and we'll update everyone, not only the government, but also at the public schools, our community colleges -- everyone that needs to know how to respond to a storm.

Regardless if it hits or not, the good news is it's weakening. But, again, gale-force winds can be very damaging. We experienced that with the flooding of Floyd. And so, we'll be prepared regardless of where it hits.

O'BRIEN: You mentioned Floyd; also Hurricane Fran back in '96 didn't give you a direct hit and caused a lot of damage for you. But let's talk a little bit about the money. How are you going to for this, even if FEMA steps in and is able to -- if there is a lot of damage and help you out?

PETERSON: Well, we have a good relation with FEMA. And, again, we have an emergency fund for these kinds of emergencies. And FEMA will work closely with us. We're in direct contact with them right now.

O'BRIEN: Any concerns about the number of national guardsmen and women who will be made available to you? As you well know, many of them are serving overseas right now. Are you worried about that?

PETERSON: We realize that, and they've been of great help in the past. But, again, our local police, fire and rescue men and women are prepared, and we'll move when we have to. Also, the private sector, our utility, Progress Energy, is mounting a campaign. They're ready to move up and down the coast. So, I think we're prepared, and we're working with other counties on the North Carolina coast. So, again, the communication is good. The preparation is excellent. We've been through this, and we're ready.

O'BRIEN: Virginia, some areas are declaring a state of emergency already before the storm hits. Do you have any expectations that you'll do that?

PETERSON: I think if not before 5:00 today when we meet as an emergency management team, if we need to declare an emergency then we will. But I think we're poised to move, and our communications are excellent at the local level, and I think that's key right now.

O'BRIEN: All right, well, Harper Peterson, the mayor of Wilmington, North Carolina, thanks for joining us this morning. Best of luck to you. We'll continue to check in with you to make sure that everything is going just fine where you are. Thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.







Aired September 16, 2003 - 07:08   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, became part of the Department of Homeland Security last March. And a little bit earlier today I spoke with the department's secretary, Tom Ridge, and asked him whether there might be a concern about a shortage of national guardsmen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM RIDGE, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: We have, literally, dozens of semi-trailers parked and available to move and ready to move along the projected path. And, again, it's not an absolute science. But right now, we're fairly certain as to where it will hit landfall. We're prepared and can make adjustments at the last minute.

But we'll pre-position those supplies. We've got emergency communications equipment ready to move. We've got urban search-and- rescue teams on call, emergency medical teams on call. Today at around 12:30, we'll have a video conference with all of the emergency management operations along the East Coast.

So, again, with the science and technology available to us in the 21st century, we are far better able to prepare ourselves in anticipation of a storm of this severity.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Well, cities in the path of the storm are preparing for the very worst. Harper Peterson is the mayor of Wilmington, North Carolina, and he joins us from nearby Wrightsville Beach to tell us just how the city is coping and getting ready this morning.

Good morning to you, Mr. Mayor. Thanks for joining us.

MAYOR HARPER PETERSON, WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA: Thank you, Soledad. Good morning to you. It's a beautiful day on the Cape Fear Coast, and unfortunately, it's going to change dramatically over the course of this day.

O'BRIEN: So, give me a sense then of what you're doing to prepare, when you really don't know if Wilmington is going to be hit or missed.

PETERSON: Regardless, we'll be prepared. We've been through this exercise five times in the last eight years. We've been hit by five hurricanes beginning in 1996 with Bertha and Fran, and then with Floyd in 1999. So, we work together as a city and a county, the beach communities, right up to the state and federal level. Communication is good, and the coordination is our key.

O'BRIEN: Let's talk...

PETERSON: We're coordinated and ready to move.

O'BRIEN: Let's talk a little bit about coordination. I know that there was, I guess, a rehearsal essentially of reversing the flow of I-40, making everything that was going eastbound head out westbound. How did that rehearsal go? And do you have expectations that that's something you're going to have to do?

PETERSON: Well, this would be a first if we had to evacuate and use both east and west lanes to bring people out of the coastal areas. But we're working with our Highway Patrol, our sheriff's department and our police in surrounding counties, so we're confident, and we're getting the word out to our communities so they'll be prepared.

O'BRIEN: Give me some of the specific advice that you're giving the folks in your community. Are you telling them to be prepared to grab a bag and get out?

PETERSON: Right. We've given them a list -- a shopping list. Also, we'll stay in close communication throughout today, through the evening and tomorrow.

We'll meet -- our emergency management team will meet later today, and we'll update everyone, not only the government, but also at the public schools, our community colleges -- everyone that needs to know how to respond to a storm.

Regardless if it hits or not, the good news is it's weakening. But, again, gale-force winds can be very damaging. We experienced that with the flooding of Floyd. And so, we'll be prepared regardless of where it hits.

O'BRIEN: You mentioned Floyd; also Hurricane Fran back in '96 didn't give you a direct hit and caused a lot of damage for you. But let's talk a little bit about the money. How are you going to for this, even if FEMA steps in and is able to -- if there is a lot of damage and help you out?

PETERSON: Well, we have a good relation with FEMA. And, again, we have an emergency fund for these kinds of emergencies. And FEMA will work closely with us. We're in direct contact with them right now.

O'BRIEN: Any concerns about the number of national guardsmen and women who will be made available to you? As you well know, many of them are serving overseas right now. Are you worried about that?

PETERSON: We realize that, and they've been of great help in the past. But, again, our local police, fire and rescue men and women are prepared, and we'll move when we have to. Also, the private sector, our utility, Progress Energy, is mounting a campaign. They're ready to move up and down the coast. So, I think we're prepared, and we're working with other counties on the North Carolina coast. So, again, the communication is good. The preparation is excellent. We've been through this, and we're ready.

O'BRIEN: Virginia, some areas are declaring a state of emergency already before the storm hits. Do you have any expectations that you'll do that?

PETERSON: I think if not before 5:00 today when we meet as an emergency management team, if we need to declare an emergency then we will. But I think we're poised to move, and our communications are excellent at the local level, and I think that's key right now.

O'BRIEN: All right, well, Harper Peterson, the mayor of Wilmington, North Carolina, thanks for joining us this morning. Best of luck to you. We'll continue to check in with you to make sure that everything is going just fine where you are. Thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.