AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – On Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in Augusta along with U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff to view the damage left by Hurricane Helene and meet with local officials.

She landed at Augusta Regional Airport shortly after 2:30 p.m. and then received a briefing from local officials at the Augusta Utilities offices.

She sat at the head of a table and wore a black windbreaker. She was flanked on one side by Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson.

At 4:35 p.m., the Vice President began providing an update on federal actions being taken to support emergency response and recovery efforts in Georgia and other states following Helene.

As Harris spoke in front of a heavily damaged property in south Augusta, he appeared shocked by the loss of life the community has suffered.

“I am here today to thank everyone who is working to get people the help they so desperately need and deserve,” Harris said from a podium surrounded by fallen trees.

She said she spoke with a woman who had just lost her husband — one of seven people killed by the storm in Augusta-Richmond County and 24 across the CSRA.

“This hurricane is causing real pain and trauma,” Harris said.

She said she wanted to recognize first responders whose heroism was extraordinary – selfless work that was “all about lifting people up.”

“Most of them are people who have experienced loss and devastation themselves and yet they leave their homes and families … to help complete strangers,” Harris said.

She said she and Biden were closely monitoring the hurricane's aftermath to ensure federal funding arrived quickly.

She noted the resources that have already come into play, including $750 checks from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for people in need of urgent assistance due to the hurricane.

She noted that FEMA workers in Augusta are going door-to-door to personally interact with people affected by the storm and help them apply for assistance.

She pointed out that people can also apply for help online.

She said FEMA has already provided tens of thousands of dollars more to help people with home repairs, covering deductibles and paying hotel costs.

She said a new development is that Biden has approved 100 percent federal reimbursement for local governments' hurricane-related costs.

She said this will have a big impact on the delivery of help to people.

“We’re here for the long haul,” Harris said. Even after the first aid, there is still a lot to do in the next few days, weeks and months, she said.

She said that in these moments of need, one of the beautiful things is that people really pull together.

“It really highlights the fact that the vast majority of us have more in common than what separates us,” she said.

It was a week full of political visits for Helene.

Gov. Brian Kemp came to Augusta on Monday and was in Thomson on Wednesday.

Also in Augusta on Monday was Senator Raphael Warnock.

Meanwhile, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster was in Aiken on Monday and Sen. Lindsey Graham will be there on Thursday.

President Joe Biden will be in Georgia on Thursday, although he will reportedly be in Valdosta.

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On Monday, Harris visited the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters, where she received a debriefing on the ongoing impacts of Hurricane Helene and thanked federal personnel and first responders for their work to support affected communities.

In her remarks, she made clear that the Biden-Harris administration “will continue to do everything we can to help you recover and rebuild – no matter how long it takes.”

Early Friday, Augusta was hit by a Category 1 storm that knocked out power across much of the city, toppled trees onto homes, killed nearly 25 people across the CSRA and resulted in a more than two-day shutdown of Augusta's water system.

Harris' visit will come just a day after Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Richmond, Columbia and Jefferson counties.

The White House said Harris spoke with Georgia leaders, including Gov. Brian Kemp and Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, ahead of her planned visit to the state.

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