The ongoing issues in North Carolina, and Tennessee with Hurricane Helene and the devastation it wrought are tremendous. Indeed, one can truly call it a 100 year event, as the last time it happened was in 1916.

Many good people from all walks of life are doing the Lord’s work in the rescue and recovery efforts. However, partly due to the proliferation of information, confirmation bias stemming from a hotly contested election season, in turn stoked by a political landscape that is arguably as divided as the country has been since 1861, a 100-year flood aggravated by rugged terrain, and the complete devastation of almost all infrastructure in the area, has caused a glut of half-truths, rumor, innuendo, and straight up tin foil hat crazy conspiracy theories to blossom like the black mold in most Army barracks.

That is not to say that the current Executive branch or all of the local and state leadership has been stellar in their actual or perceived response. Indeed, President Biden claimed to have ordered Elon Musk to deploy the StarLink system. However, the fact is that Musk (supported by the Trumps) had long before taken it upon himself to provide hundreds of units, despite the FCC’s previous reversal of the approved bid that StarLink won to provide rural internet and could have already supplied 19,522 systems to North Carolina alone.

What has become apparent is that a lot of people have no real idea what the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is, how it operates, or what it has the authority to do. Thus, a LOT of BS has been spouted on the interwebs. One of the most popular is the accusation that FEMA, the Red Cross (ICRC), United Way, and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) have been up to some shady stuff. Another is that people are only being given a pittance from FEMA when they have lost everything. Further, outright lies about the level of assistance that FEMA is giving in general and the idea that FEMA is “out of money” are rampant.

FEMA is Confiscating Our Stuff!

UPDATE – TEMA has categorically denied the above allegations.

That said –

FEMA personnel are most likely NOT who is behind the alleged confiscations. While it is technically possible – it is improbable (read on!) – Odds are that this is one of the following:

• A state/local agency that people are mislabeling as FEMA.
• A scam being run by nefarious actors.
• An overzealous volunteer or reservist who stepped WAY outside of policy and the law.

Generally speaking, FEMA employees are not “first responders” and are there to facilitate Emergency Management, and assist in assessing and filing for grants/assistance. The ICRC, FEMA, United Way, and TEMA are four separate organizations with vastly different legal and policy mandates. None of those four organizations have the authority (statutory or otherwise) to confiscate anyone’s property. FEMA is limited by the US Constitution, and concerning actions within the many states, is bound by the 10th Amendment and governed mainly by the Stafford Act – it is NOT an enforcement agency. PLEASE READ THE STAFFORD ACT!

If you see someone claiming to be from FEMA confiscating private property or “shutting down” services – It needs to be reported.

US Citizens are ONLY Getting $750 After a Disaster!!!

This money (Serious Needs Assistance) is ONE of many payments and other assistance that one may be eligible for if affected by a disaster. This lie of omission was also perpetrated across social media after the Maui fire.

Some facts –

• Serious Needs Assistance is money (the infamous $750) to pay for emergency supplies like water, food, first aid, breast-feeding supplies, infant formula, diapers, personal hygiene items, or fuel for transportation.
• FEMA disaster assistance are grants which do not need to be repaid.
• FEMA disaster grants are not considered taxable income. Accepting a FEMA grant will not affect your Social Security benefits, Medicare, Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or other federal assistance programs.
• FEMA staff and inspectors never charge money for service. If someone offers you help and asks for payment, please report that to the National Center for Disaster Fraud hotline: 1-866-720-5721. 
• ALL of this is completely separate from any funds, assistance, materials, or services that may be offered by non-government agencies, non-profits, companies, or state, local, and tribal governments.

FULL information on all FEMA individual assistance and to apply go HERE.

FEMA is Out of Money!!!

FEMA is not out of money – Some people perpetuate that myth for political reasons – others beat on it for opposing political reasons.

However – One has to understand the whole process.

• A disaster happens – or is about to happen.
• FEMA begins to mobilize assets and deploy assessment teams, and begins to liaison with state, local, and tribal governments to enable their preparation, response, and recovery.
• The Governor or Tribal Leader declares a disaster, and requests Federal assistance from the President via the Secretary of Homeland Security.
• The President approves the Federal Disaster Declaration. (Not Until THIS POINT can FEMA actively respond)
• FEMA begins to actively participate in enabling the preparation, response, and recovery of state, local, and tribal governments, individuals, companies, and non-profits.

The companies, non-profits, NGOs, state, local, and tribal governments will respond and begin recovery operations, spend the money, get the contracts, and do the work, all while their grant writers apply for reimbursements via grants.

Private citizens will get checks written for immediate needs (as shown above), some lost personal effects and apply for more substantial relief.

Insurance companies will also spend the money, get the contracts, and do the work.

All the affected parties will then get payouts from FEMA to cover what the insurance does not –

THE LAST PART HAPPENS MONTHS OR YEARS AFTER THE EVENT. Additional funding has literal years to become available

IF CONGRESS WERE TO PASS A LEGITIMATE BUDGET instead of a continuous stream of multi-trillion dollar omnibus spending bills – aka: Continuing Resolutions (CR) every 6 months – thus creating an immediate needs funding status which is DUE TO CONGRESS NOT PASSING A BUDGET.

In fact, it was only on September 30, 2024, that FEMA was authorized to start funding prior disasters, as the CRs had limited spending to ONLY ONGOING DISASTERS.

This part is all political theater and bullshit lies by partisan groups, and legacy media to make good people look bad.

If you want to see the Disaster Relief Fund financials – they are published monthly BY LAW – HERE.

Now – this is completely aside from the obviously broken system of allocation in the many states and DHS, concerning the allegations that FEMA earmarked or grant funds were moved to other local projects or to INS/CBP to deal with illegal immigrant issues – but that is another topic for another blog post.