President Barack Obama is surrounded by local and federal officials as he delivers a statement on the ongoing response and recovery efforts to Hurricane Isaac in LaPlace, Louisiana, Sept. 3, 2012. Standing with the President from left were FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, Gov. Bobby Jindal, Rep. Jeff Landry, Rep. Cedric Richmond, Saint John the Baptist Parish President Natalie Robottom, Sen. David Vitter, Sheriff Mike Tregre, Sen. Mary Landrieu and New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
President Obama yesterday made his way to St. John's Parish in Louisiana to take in the damage from Hurricane Isaac and meet with officials responding to the disaster.
The President highlighted the “extraordinary work” done by local first responders who worked around the clock to rescue residents stranded by high water in a place that hadn't flooded in 17 years.
"Some of the folks that we just walked by literally had to be saved by boat. They were in their homes, trapped. The waters came in so quickly," he said. "But because of the great work of law enforcement, National Guard, Coast Guard, making sure that folks were out in rescue mode rapidly, even in some cases at risk of their own lives, no lives were lost."