President Biden and first lady Jill Biden will visit Surfside, Fla., on Thursday following the partial collapse of a condo building in the town neighboring Miami.
The White House officially announced the trip on Tuesday morning after Biden told reporters at the White House that he hoped to visit Florida “maybe as early as Thursday.” Biden made the remarks as he departed the White House for an official trip to Wisconsin.
“They want to thank the heroic first responders, search and rescue teams, and everyone who has been working tirelessly around the clock and meet with the families who have been forced to endure this terrible tragedy, waiting in anguish and heartbreak for word of their loved ones, to offer them comfort as search and rescue efforts continue,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday.
Psaki said the trip is being “closely coordinated” with officials on the ground to ensure it doesn’t take away resources from the ongoing recovery efforts.
At least 11 people have been confirmed dead and 150 remain unaccounted for in the building collapse, according to local officials.
Biden spoke to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Friday after declaring a state of emergency in Florida to allow federal resources to support search and recovery efforts.
Psaki said Monday that Biden supports an investigation into the circumstances that led to the partial collapse of a section of Champlain Towers South, a 12-story condo building in Surfside, Fla., last Thursday.
“The goal of course is to get to the bottom of what happened and of course have it be an instructive guide on how to prevent it from happening in the future,” Psaki said.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has sent personnel to assist in search and recovery efforts. The National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the FBI have also sent officials to Florida.
Updated at 1:39 p.m.