Photos Available Here
Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo received a briefing upon the arrival of the USNS Comfort at Pier 88 in New York City.
The USNS Comfort arrived in New York harbor today. The 1,000-bed hospital ship has 12 fully-equipped operating rooms and will significantly increase New York's hospital surge capacity.
VIDEO of the Governor's remarks is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here
AUDIO of today's remarks is available here.
PHOTOS of the Governor at the USNS Comfort are available on the Governor's Flickr page.
A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:
Okay, well there she is. I want to thank Rear Admiral Mustin who is here. I want to thank the United States Navy. They really acted expeditiously in bringing this ship here. I want to thank the Army that is going to help staff the ship. I want to thank the President of the United States, President Trump, who mobilized this effort and he did with all rapid speed.
This will be 1,000 beds for New York hospitals. It won't treat COVID-19 patients but it will be a relief valve for hospitals that are struggling now, that are over capacity all across the City. So, the 1,000 beds will come in very handy. These 1,000 beds will be complemented with 2,500 beds that we are doing in the Javits Center. I know the field hospitals that were assembled by the U.S Army. Again, those won't be for COVID-19 patients but they will be for a relief valve for the hospitals. So, we are doing this ship - 1,000 beds. Javits - 2,500 beds. About 3,500 beds to relieve the stress that our hospital system is facing.
That is going to be welcome news and I want to thank all of the people that worked so hard to do this. This is a major enterprise. The Javits Center, what is going on there is truly extraordinary. Everybody is working together to get that facility up and running. It has been transformed in just a week. And it really is a great, great partnership and frankly it's inspiring to see everyone working together for one cause.
We're speaking with a number of my colleagues, governors all across the nation, Democrats and Republicans, have sent the same message to all of you. What you see happening in New York is not unique. Yes, we're more dense. Yes, we're bigger than most places. But, this virus spreads among Americans. This virus does not discriminate. It doesn't discriminate by age. It doesn't discriminate by party. It affects all Americans, and what you're seeing in New York is going to spread across this country.
New York is just the canary in the coal mine. And I've said to them, prepare soon, prepare early, get your preparations in place. I don't think that any American is immune from this virus. Because no American is immune from this virus. And if there's ever a time that we need to work together it is today. The President's right. This is a war. And what does this nation do when it's at war? It comes together. And it acts as one. And that's what we need to do today. New Yorkers, thank this nation for the help they're giving New Yorkers today, and we will reciprocate the favor. And what we're learning here, and the training that's going on here, is going to benefit the places all across this nation in the coming weeks and the coming months.
But again, thank you. Thank you to the Army, thank you to the Navy, thank you to the Coast Guard, and all of the people who were a part of this great operation. Thank you.
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