U.S. Congressman Rush Holt (New Jersey, 12th District) speaks to members of the Mercer County Office of Emergency Management at a special briefing before a tour of urban areas affected by flooding caused by Hurricane Irene on August 28, 2011. FEMA partners with the state, local governments and elected officials to insure coordination of disaster response activities and effective communication among all stakeholders. Photo by Christopher Matador / FEMA.