>>> THE TOP STORY TONIGHT, AFTERMATH OF FRANCINE DOWNGRADED TO A TROPICAL STORM. GOVERNOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. HOW ARE PEOPLE THERE DOING RIGHT NOW? WHAT IS THE THING YOU ARE CURRENTLY MOST CONCERNED ABOUT? >> RIGHT NOW THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE COULD DO IS GET THE UTILITIES BACKUP ONLINE. WE HAVE HAD OVER 500,000 PEOPLE WITHOUT POWER LAST NIGHT. THAT HAS BEEN IMPROVED BY 50% MARGIN. I SPENT THE DAY TOURING SOME OF THE MOST AFFECTED AREAS OF THE STATE. I WILL DO IT AGAIN TOMORROW. POWER IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW. BEING ABLE TO GET THE CREWS UP AND PUT BACK IN THE PLACE THE LINES. TO GET THE ELECTRICITY ON. >> HOW LONG DO YOU THINK THAT WILL TAKE? >> WE DON'T KNOW? WE HOPE IT WILL BE UP AND RUNNING BY SUNDAY. SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING HURRICANE IDA WAS DAMAGED AGAIN BEFORE WE HAD TIME TO REPAIR IT. THAT IS A CONCERN OF OURS BECAUSE HURRICANE SEASON IS AT ITS PEAK RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE HAD ISSUES IN NEW ORLEANS, HEAVY RAINFALL THAT CAME. WE WILL BE THERE TOMORROW TALKING TO THEM, TRYING TO WORK OUT A PLAN TO ENSURE WE CAN GET THROUGH THE REST OF HURRICANE SEASON SAFELY. >> DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE THE SUPPORT YOU NEED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO GET YOU THROUGH THIS MOMENT? >> THE WHITE HOUSE HAD GIVEN US LANDFALL DECLARATION. WE SENT ANOTHER REQUEST FOR ANOTHER ONE THAT WE ARE WAITING ON. SENATOR KENNEDY WAS WITH US AND HE COMMITTED TO MAKE SHORT THAT WASHINGTON RESPONDS POSITIVELY. THE DECLARATION FROM THE WHITE HOUSE WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE COULD GET IT TODAY. >> YOU REFERENCED HURRICANE IDA. FRANCINE WILL BE THE SEVENTH HURRICANE. TO MAKE LANDFALL IN EIGHT YEARS IN LOUISIANA. THE FIRST YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH IN YOUR ADMINISTRATION. WERE YOU READY TO RESPOND? >> I HAVE BEEN LIVING HERE ALL MY LIFE. WORK AS A SHERIFF'S DEPUTY UNDER ANEW. THE TEAM WE PUT TOGETHER DID AN ASCENDING JOB. WE HAVE A GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH LOCAL, STATE, FEDERAL PARTNERS. WE APPRECIATE FEMA WHO TOURED WITH US TODAY. THE THING THAT'S KEEPING ME UP AT NIGHT IS WHAT HAPPENS IF WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE THIS YEAR. >> WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT THAT? IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, WHAT CAN THE STATE DO TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE NOT LEFT IN THE DARK? >> THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO IS GET THE WHITE HOUSE TO GIVE US THE DECLARATION. THAT WILL GET THE MONEY FLOWING SO WE CAN IMPROVE THE INFRASTRUCTURES. WE WILL DEAL WITH THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS TOMORROW TO FIND OUT WHAT KIND OF FAILURES THEY HAD TO MAKE SURE ARE NOT REPEATED IF WE HAVE ANOTHER STORM THIS YEAR. >> THE SEWER SYSTEM, THERE WAS A NOTIFICATION ASKING PEOPLE TO CONSERVE WATER FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS WHILE REPAIRS ARE MADE. HOW WHATEVER SPREAD IS THAT? COULD IT BE EXTENDED? IN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS IS IN A UNIQUE POSITION BECAUSE OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA. IT HAS SOME CHALLENGES. WE WILL WORK WITH THE WATER BOARD TOMORROW ON THAT. NEW ORLEANS AND THE JEFFERSON PARISH, THEY HAVE SOME ISSUES. WE DISCUSSED THAT WITH THE FEMA ADMINISTRATOR. WE WILL WORK ON THAT TOMORROW IN NEW ORLEANS. >> WHAT IS A MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE OF YOUR STATE? >> WE ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO GET THE UTILITIES ONLINE. WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT ANY COMMODITIES THEY NEED ARE PUT IN PLACE. WE ALSO WANT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE AREA TO STAY OFF THE ROADS. MORE USED TO THE ROADS, THE MORE IT GIVES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR UTILITYMAN AND WOMEN TO GET THE POWER