MARIETTA - Following a 30-minute helicopter tour of flood damage Friday, Vice President Joe Biden offered sympathy to Cobb residents outside the county's Red Cross shelter at the Civic Center.

"A beautiful young woman who lost her home, who was out here, said to me, 'Mister Vice President, what are you going to do? I know this isn't Katrina.' But the truth of the matter is, for someone who's lost their home, it is Katrina. For someone who is in the situation like the people here at the shelter, it is Katrina. It's not Katrina in its scope by any stretch of the imagination, but the impact on their lives, on your lives, we understand that it is Katrina," Biden said.

The vice president called the recent disastrous flooding "tough stuff" to handle, and talked about rebuilding and moving forward.

"People ask what we're going to do, but we're going to have people come to see you. Come see your home, while you're here, to get you relocated as quickly as we can," the vice president said. "This is going to take time. Down the road, we're going to be in the position where some people are still going to be trying to figure out how they're going to rebuild that house. We're going to get other federal agencies in. We're going to get HUD and others that are going to be able to take care of, hopefully, your real needs. But the first part here is literally just an emergency, making sure the physical safety of the folks who are most affected are taken care of and then going out and making a longer term assessment of not only the personal losses, but also damage to government property. Highways, sewer systems, water systems, et cetera. So this is not going to happen overnight. It's not going to happen tomorrow. But it will happen," he said.

Biden said President Barack Obama called him from Pittsburg and told him to go to Georgia. He reassured the crowd that the president is aware of everything that has happened, and that he understands this is a serious situation.

"But it's also important we get this right, because you know there are going to be other disasters. God-willing, not here," Biden said.

"What impresses me most is how strong the communities down here seem to be. You all kind of banded together inside and everybody acted as one. Telling me stories about what your neighbor did, not just what you did. A community like yours may have lost a lot of physical structure, but it seems to me, you've kept a great determination. Our job now is to do all we can to be of help to you, to deliver you assistance. Local officials, you're doing a great job. This is further proof of the fact that y'all do stick together down here, and I promise you, we're not going away."

Turning his attention to the Red Cross volunteers, Biden, dressed in khaki pants and a polo shirt, said, "I've been to a lot of disasters, unfortunately, and I've never seen people who are being helped be so appreciative and say so much about each of you. They're identifying you by name, telling you what they hear, that you did this for them and that for them. I mean it really is more than a physical loss. This is a psychological loss. This is tough stuff."

Biden visited the shelter with Georgia Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, U.S. Sens. Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss, U.S. Rep. David Scott, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate.

He and other officials met several victims of the flood amongst their few belongings and cots before traveling to the front of the Civic Center for the outdoor press conference.

Fugate explained the federal disaster declaration Obama signed Thursday.

"Part of this declaration includes hazard mitigation dollars. That may not mean a lot to a lot of folks, but what it does mean is we go out and we work on public property to fix something the floods destroyed," Fugate said. "We're going to build it back better. Not just the way it was, but so the next time there's a flood, it doesn't get damaged. Start registering and let's start working to help Georgia get back on its feet."

Napolitano expressed her sympathies to those who lost loved ones, friends, and colleagues that have suffered damage from the flood, and said FEMA will be on the ground through the next few weeks to jumpstart the recovery.

"The emergency declarations that the president already signed will keep being added to as assessments keep being done," Napolitano said. "...We will stay on it, FEMA will stay on it, GEMA will stay on it, the state of Georgia is on it, the volunteers are on it, and most importantly, the families here today are ready to be on it as well as we continue to move forward."

Isakson, of east Cobb, thanked Biden for visiting the county and listening to the stories of residents whose lives are now changed because of the floods.

"We hate to come to Cobb County because of a disaster, but we like to come when we can bring help, which is precisely what we're trying to do. I want to say one thing to the vice president. All those hugs and all those handshakes downstairs, with 193 people who have been so badly injured, thank you for taking the time to do that," Isakson said.

County Commissioner Bob Ott was also in attendance, and said that Biden's visit is crucial because it brings national attention to the local devastation and spreads information about federal assistance.

"I felt his remarks were encouraging, and that he has a genuine concern and interest in helping our communities. I've been out and have seen the damage that's occurred, and for him to acknowledge that this really is important is key," Ott said.

After the conference, Austell resident Nikisha Miller said that she felt Biden's visit to the shelter was very important and that assistance from the federal government would be vital for recovery. The 34-year-old mother of two slipped out of her duplex just as the flood waters were rising and had to sleep in her car Monday night because she was trapped by road closures and flood waters.

"I'm actually from Louisiana, and was there for Katrina. I was able to remodel my house, but it just took such an emotional toll on me, I couldn't live there anymore and moved here in 2006. The vice president's visit tells me that they're paying attention, and that hopefully there will be more help than there was during Katrina. I'm going through a lot, and it's hard on my kids, but the help we've received from the volunteers has been truly amazing. This is all we have right now," Miller said.

To register for FEMA assistance, call 1-800-621-FEMA or visit www.fema.org.