[GFX: One week after a tsunami hit American Samoa, Governor Togiola Tulafono and Kenneth Tingman, Federal Coordinating Officer for FEMA, discuss the federal response efforts that occurred during that period.  DR-1859]
 
Tulafono: After one week since American Samoa was devastated by the earthquake and resulting tsunami disasters I am pleased to report that we are making excellent progress in our response and relief efforts.  To date, the emergency response from the federal and territorial governments have resulted in the following progress. One. Lifesaving and life-sustaining supplies provided to meet the immediate needs of survivors include more than 26000 meals delivered.  14000 litres of water, 1800 blankets, 800 tents and more than 1000 cots are now being distributed. Recovery kits including personal care items, cooking kits, coolers, flashlights, lanterns and basic necessities for survival are packaged and are being deployed as we speak. We reopened 24 schools on Monday, 10 have water but are without electricity. 4 schools remain closed due to total destruction or very very major damages. Our main hospital is operational.  The community health centers are reopened with extended hours until 8 PM.  
 
Tingman: As the Governor mentioned, we are beginning to distribute sorely needed commodities out into the communities. The tents and the tent kits have been received with open arms out in the community.  We are beginning to restore power out to the more remote areas and that includes water.  Schools are beginning to open. There are only 4 that have not opened and we are beginning to make inroads about what to do with those schoolchildren as well.  We have established an incredible unified command coordination group and we are setting the priorities based upon what the Governor would like us to do and we're able to go out and piecemeal and simultaneously take on all these challenges because of his leadership and the planning that goes on in the UCG.  We have a lot of work to still be done but I am very proud of the work that we've done in our first week that we've done for our disaster response and recovery for this earthquake and tsunami that has affected American Samoa and once again I just want to thank Governor Tulafono and the people of American Samoa for their hospitality, for their hardiness and for their integrity and ingenuity in recovering and restoring their own community.
 
Tulafono: Mr. Kenneth Tingman, the Federal Coordinating Officer, has done a tremendous job in organizing the federal teams and has resulted in very smooth delivery of the efforts and assistance to the villages, to the families and to the individuals.