Relief efforts are underway throughout the United States. Such endeavors in the greater Los Angeles area are led by churches, Chiefs, community organizations, and human rights activists. All have been instrumental in collecting goods based on needs communicated directly from those devastated by the disaster.

On September 30, 2009, President Barack Obama declared the events in American Samoa as a major disaster, thus authorizing FEMA to move forward with its work.

FEMA has since responded to American Samoa via directives from the Governor Togiola Tulafono.

Yesterday, October 9, 2009, Congresswoman Laura Richardson (http://richardson.house.gov/)
met with Samoan-American church leaders, elders, Chiefs, and community organizations actively involved in relief efforts within the Southern California area. She disclosed how actively involved her office has been with Congressman Faleomavaega, the Secretary of State office, FEMA, and Governor Togiola.

After days of deliberation to address logistical needs of the local relief efforts to obtain FEMA's assistance with air transportation, the community was told that Governor Togiola refused to sign the letter to FEMA activating the use of C-17's to transport now 360+ pallets of donated goods ready to go to American Samoa and Samoa, which are now placed in parking lots.

Although smoking prevalence has declined in many developed nations, it has increased in many less developed countries, including those in the Western Pacific region. The current data indicate that smoking prevalence has not declined in nearly two decades in American Samoa.

The risk of smoking related chronic disease therefore remains high for a large proportion of American Samoans.

It is time to eliminate smoking in all indoor public places.