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. AARON BROWN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Governor George
Pataki from New York joins us on the telephone. Governor, are
you there, you can hear me?
GEORGE PATAKI, GOVERNOR,
NEW YORK: Yes, I am here
BROWN: What are you hearing
from the trade center area itself
PATAKI: Well, we are
still hearing that it's a horrific situation. We are in
desperate need of people to help out with the emergency
services. The city team is there but we have evacuated our
National Guard and our statewide fire and emergency services
and we're going to be bringing those in to relieve the city
forces as the afternoon goes on. I have been in touch with the
Mayor. I've been in touch with White House, and everything
that we can do and everything that can be done, is being done
at this point.
BROWN: Has anyone given you any idea of
how many injured we are dealing with down in --
PATAKI: Not at this point. At this point, the sole
goal is to try to help as many people as possible, to get them
to the emergency services, to get them the care that they
need, to help people who want to leave the area, to leave in
an orderly way. And to make sure that we do everything that we
can to provide security throughout the city and throughout the
state.
BROWN: Governor Pataki, can you tell me the
degree to which the state's planning for these sorts of
tragedies, and there's obviously a plan in place. New York is,
because of its place in the world, is obviously a place that
you have to consider a target. Whether that plan envisioned
something of the magnitude of what has taken place this
morning?
PATAKI: Well, you plan for any eventuality
but you never actually expect to see something of this
magnitude. But we have coordinated well with the city. We're
going to continue to make sure we provide all of the support
that we can. We do have emergency services and emergency
transportation running. I know the reports have been
inaccurate. We do have limited rail service out of Grand
Central, to the northern suburbs, limited railroad service out
of Brooklyn and Queens to Long Island. We are working to make
sure that the bus service, to the extent possible continues
and we're trying to get subway service back on track. It's not
there yet. But the coordination has been excellent. It's just
in a -- an attack of this magnitude, we just have to focus on
responding and helping people at this point.
BROWN:
And -- and do you have any idea how many people have been
hospitalized or how many hospitals are involved, whether they
extend beyond the city
PATAKI: Not at this point. But
every emergency service, every hospital that can provide
assistance is providing assistance. The people have been just
terrific in their response, and we're going to continue to
make sure that that response is as strong as it can be.
BROWN: Governor, take a moment and tell me, not as the
governor necessarily, but as a resident of this state, an
important player in a the affairs of this state, what you are
thinking today.
PATAKI: This is an enormous tragedy. I
have friends in those towers. I have friends who were there
this morning that we haven't heard from. And our thoughts go
to the people who are there, to the families, to all of those
who are suffering at this, at this time, and we'll be there to
help. And we'll be there to do everything that we can to make
sure that the support and the services necessary are
provided
BROWN: Okay. Governor, thank you. Governor
George Pataki joining us here.
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