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Water Rescues Underway Following Milton's Severe Flooding; Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg Discusses FEMA Director Saying Florida Dodged "Worst-Case Scenario"; Potential For Flesh-Eating Bacteria In Milton Floodwaters; Trump Delivers Remarks In Battleground Michigan. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired October 10, 2024 - 13:30   ET

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

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[13:31:56]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Incredible video we're getting from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. As we know, they've been conducting water rescues throughout the morning and the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.

And this is video they just posted to social media of a young boy that was apparently floating on a piece of fence. And officers -- deputies, I should say, we're coming by him.

He apparently gets their attention, and as you can see, there, calls out for them. They approach him and they are able to get him out of the water safely. Some incredible video.

Again, 14-year-old boy on a piece of fence being dragged out of the floodwaters of Hurricane Milton.

We actually want to talk to the sheriff of Hillsborough County. Now, Sheriff Chad Chronister joins us live.

Sheriff, you put this video out on social media. I'm wondering what goes through your mind when you see footage like this?

CHAD CHRONISTER, SHERIFF, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT (via telephone): Listen, I just happened to be on the airboat for that one out of the over 200 rescues we've done and are still actively conducting.

We just also noted a family. as I'm standing here by the flooded water, he was waving us down, flagging us down. Most people were saying hello. He was frantically waling his arms.

We went over and it literally was like a scene at the "Castaway" movie, how he's hanging on for dear life. His mom evacuated him to a safer area last night. He was walking home. Didn't realize the water was going to get as flooded and as deep as it did. And he's not a good swimmer. And hence -- hence the rescue.

He was visibly shaken. I mean, he thought -- he was just so grateful. We took him to some dry land. But just one of many rescues we've been conducting today.

SANCHEZ: Yes, Sheriff, I'm sure -- I am certain that he's appreciative of the work of your deputies and obviously, all emergency rescue personnel across the state.

You mentioned more than 200 rescues. Can you give us an idea of whether there had been any serious injuries or anything fatalities in Hillsborough County.

CHRONISTER: Not yet, not that's been reported to me. We've rescued 130 disabled elderly citizens that were relocated from Bradenton. So let's take them to north Tampa, the university area. Let's take them up here because there'll be safe here.

I started my career here 33 years ago in this neighborhood. I fell in love with this community right here. And they conduct those rescues where individuals thought that they would be safer here.

And now to see the type of flooding that's fairly receding. You know, we're very fortunate and blessed we didn't get the storm surge. But the 16 to 18 inches of rain that we got to already heavily saturated areas, there's nowhere for this water to go.

SANCHEZ: Yes, Sheriff Chronister, of Hillsborough County, it is such a wild scene to see. And so many folks are appreciative of the work that you're doing.

Please keep us posted if there's any message you want us to get out there. We very much appreciate your work, sir.

CHRONISTER: Thank you, everyone. Stay safe.

SANCHEZ: Of course.

We want to talk to a federal official now about the response to Hurricane Milton and the effects of this storm.

[13:35:05]

Joining us live is secretary of transportation, Pete Buttigieg.

Secretary, thank you so much for sharing part of your afternoon with us.

As Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis put it, this was not the worst-case scenario. And yet, you were looking at night mirror scenes in places like Hillsborough County.

I'm wondering, from what you've seen, what has stood out to you. What do you make of how Florida handled this powerful storm?

PETE BUTTIGIEG, TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: Well, that's exactly right. Some of the worst-case scenarios did not materialize, but this is still a massive, massive impact for so many people.

Right now, at the National Response Coordination Center where FEMA brings together all of the different agencies working these issues, from the U.S. military to a department like our Department of Transportation. And of course, we're engaging with the state and local officials on the ground to help support that response.

There are now thousands of federal personnel, hundreds just for my department alone, deployed across the two storms, that Helene recovery and the Milton response.

We see local officials and Florida's DOT doing extraordinary work quickly working through inspections to make sure that roads and bridges can be safely reopened.

Our FAA is working with airports, about 25 significant airports in the impact area. Roughly half of them still closed, roughly half of them either partially open or fully open. We think more and more of them will be back to normal as we head into tomorrow.

And then a real focus on the port of Tampa Bay. This port accounts for about 40 percent of the oil and energy coming into the state of Florida.

Work is underway, getting underway to assess the conditions of the port and see what it will take to get that back up and running. The Coast Guard is leading that work.

But with our supply chain team, we're tracking that very closely as well as at the DOT.

SANCHEZ: Yes. Secretary, I was wondering about fuel. We've been fortunate to see a number of gas stations open and it did not appear that there were huge lines, which, as a Floridian, I'm using to seeing after storms, these massive, massive lines outside of gas stations.

I'm wondering, as your coordinating with local and state officials, what you're hearing is the greatest need right now?

BUTTIGIEG: Well, remember, right now, there's still an assessment stage going on, making sure that people are accounted for their wellness checks going on, just understand the scope of impact.

Transportation-wise, it's really all three of those, sea, air and land, making sure we get those up and running.

The other thing is just to give people good information. Importantly, yesterday, going into yesterday, a lot of the message that local officials needed people to hear was the message to evacuate. And it sounds like that message was well headed and that saved lives.

Now, in many locations, residents are going to hear a different message. The message will be to stay put until word goes out that it is safe. When you're talking about standing water or other areas where there might be downed power lines, there's still a lot of active hazards.

So you really want to pay attention to good local information for trusted sources -- from trusted sources about when it is safe to leave if you've been sheltering in place.

And of course, so many people wanting to know when it will be safe for them to return home if they did evacuate.

SANCHEZ: Yes, Secretary, it's has always the threat of what you don't see. And standing water with bacteria or power lines as you mentioned. Important to heed those warnings.

Secretary, while we have you, I do want to ask about the suggestion coming from some that President Biden appoint an active-duty commander to respond to some of the storms that we've seen this hurricane season, some of the natural disasters that we've seen.

What do you think of that idea?

BUTTIGIEG: Well, what I can tell you is that there is work by so many active-duty troops, thousands as I understand it, between National Guard and DOD.

And what I've seen on display, including is the military and National Guard were briefing their portions just about an hour ago here at FEMA headquarters.

It's extraordinary work working through the existing concept of operations that allows what are called Title X forces, U.S. active- duty military and National Guard to come into play.

I'm sure there'll be more conversations, as always, about how to develop, evolve or fine-tune the structure for an exact response. But what I've seen is that, in and out of uniform, you've got people doing an amazing job, working together and working to support those -- those local responders and state and local authorities who are doing everything in their power now.

Both to save lives and to help people get back on that journey toward normal.

SANCHEZ: It may be a long road for some but we're glad to hear that progress is being made.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, thank you so much for the update.

BUTTIGIEG: Thank you. Glad to be with you.

[13:39:55]

Stay with CNN NEWS CENTRAL. We still have plenty more to cover, as you've seen, some incredible rescues as residents start to dig out from Hurricane Milton.

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BRIANNE KEILAR, CNN HOST: With so much damage from Hurricane Milton to assess, it is easy to forget that there is more danger lurking in the water that remains. A citywide boil-water advisory is now in effect for St. Petersburg. And during a post hurricane briefing earlier today, Governor Ron DeSantis issued this warning.

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GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FLORIDA): Never walk through storm waters. Standing storm waters can also carry a bacteria that can lead to fatal infections. This type of infection was responsible for a fatality following Hurricane Helene. So please avoid wading through standing water

[14:45:16]

KEILAR: I want to discuss now with Dr. Ben Abo. He is a Florida-based EMS and disaster physician. And he's joining us from Pinellas County, which has seen a lot of this storm.

Doctor, terms like flesh-eating bacteria, so scary sounding. What do people need to know about this?

DR. BEN ABO, EMS & DISASTER PHYSICIAN: What people really need to understand is that it's absolutely a possibility. It's not just blowing things out of proportion. And the best thing to do is just really avoid it.

It could be a very simple little cut. And once that bacteria that's been growing in still waters have an opportunity to get through your body system and through your immune system, it's going to go ahead and infect and really take over.

KEILAR: I mean, we're looking at a picture right now of someone walking through stormwater. We just saw video of a boy being rescued from storm water as he was trying to walk home from a place that he had evacuated to.

How do people realistically -- this is a video we're watching now. How do they realistically avoid flood waters when they are trying to live their lives?

ABO: You know, people chose to stay, and I get it, they're trying to now get out. But the best thing to do is understand we're all coming for you.

There's local assets, there are state assets, there's federal assets. We're coming. So if you don't need to, don't get in the water. We have the equipment and the skills to be able to safely get you out so you don't get the flesh-eating bacteria.

You won't be accidentally swept away on the roads and different things. There's a lot of debris. There's a lot of things in the water beyond the bacteria.

And so we have the equipment and the training fields to get you out safely.

KEILAR: Yes. People just need to be very careful.

OK. Tell us, are there certain categories of people who are at risk or is this really just a matter of, you know, you could have like a hang nail or you could have a small cut you're not even fully aware of?

Or is it that there are certain populations that are more vulnerable to this?

ABO: If you have skin and there's an opening of any size, year vulnerable.

KEILAR: You're vulnerable. That is loud and clear there.

And what should people be looking for if they have had -- you know, they have been in this water and they're starting to maybe have symptoms. What are the symptoms?

ABO: As soon as you come out of the water, if you're in there, you should be using soap and water and clean it out.

If you're seeing the edges are if you're seeing that the edges are turning red, are getting warmer a little bit tender, maybe you're getting a fever. That's just the start of the infection.

And it can really grow quite rapidly from there.

KEILAR: OK, so get medical assistance immediately.

Dr. Abo, thank you so much for sounding the alarm on this. We do appreciate it.

ABO: Thank you very much.

KEILAR: Former President Trump speaking in battleground Michigan today as new polling shows him closing the gap there with Vice President Harris. Stay with us

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[13:53:09]

KEILAR: Happening now, former President Trump is speaking to the Detroit Economic Club. It's part of his push in the crucial battleground state of Michigan, where new polling shows him gaining some ground with a slight lead over Vice President Harris.

CNN's Alayna Treene is joining us now from Detroit.

Alayna, what are you hearing there?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN REPORTER: Well, Brianna, excuse me, I'm going to be quiet here because he's currently speaking behind me. But so far, he's kind of walking through his economic plan and, of course, gearing it toward voters here in Detroit.

He's talking a lot about the auto industry and his plans to impose sweeping tariffs on imports if he is elected in the fall, something we know he has previewed in the past, but he has going into more detail right now.

One thing that he actually said or he has yet to say, but we know he is going to say, according to a copy of his prepared remarks that we've received, is that he is going to try to argue that there should be no interest paid on car loans.

Again, that is actually something new that we have not heard Donald Trump say yet, but it fits into his broader conversation when it comes to the economy that he wants to get it, no tax on tips, no tax on Social Security or Medicaid benefits. This is kind of along those lines.

Now, this speech, from what I've seen so far of his prepared remarks, on what he is going -- what he is currently saying right now, Brianna, is very similar to the speech he delivered to the Economic Club of New York last month.

That includes talking about lowering the corporate tax rate further, moving it down to 15 percent. He wants to slosh regulations. He's going to talk about wanting to create a new government efficiency program that he says Elon Musk has already agreed to lead. This is all part of that broader economic plan.

And of course, we know that the economy is the issue that Donald Trump's campaign sees as the top priority for him ahead of November because it's one of the issues where he is polling better than Kamala Harris.

[13:55:03]

I'll just to take a step back and talk about the importance of Michigan because we did get -- we did see that new polling from Quinnipiac University that really shows this race becoming exceedingly tighter in the Blue Wall states, in Michigan, in Pennsylvania, in Wisconsin.

Really, those polls showed that Harris' lead in Pennsylvania has been trimmed. In Michigan, it's been all but erased. And in Wisconsin, it is very, very close.

So Donald Trump is making a very hard question here. We know that these are states that he won in 2016 but lost in 2020 to Joe Biden. They are very much trying to make sure that he can win them once again, this time around.

And just also, very quickly, to talk about the importance of the Detroit Economic Club, every president since Richard Nixon has given a speech before the Detroit Economic Club, with the exception, I should say, of President Joe Biden, though there is still time for him and to do that.

Donald Trump did speak here in the leadup to 2016. He actually note -0 noted that at the top of the speech saying that perhaps it's good luck and it's a full circle moment -- Brianna? KEILAR: All right, Alayna Treene, thank you so much, live for us from

Detroit. We know that you will continue to monitor that event.

And we are following some breaking news, of course, out of Florida where officials are assessing the damage after Hurricane Milton. President Biden is set to talk about the initial impacts of the storm just minutes from now.

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