
FEMA forced to pause some operations in North Carolina over threats
By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor), Shea Taylor (Producer), Zachary Hill (Video Editor), Jonah Applegarth (Graphics Operator)
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been forced to pause aid to some North Carolina communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. The move comes after reports of threats to FEMA responders following a spread of misinformation on the agency’s response to recent storms.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn moreBias Distribution
Left
Untracked Bias
Certain FEMA operations in Ashe County, northeast of Asheville, were paused over the weekend of Oct. 12 out of an abundance of caution, according to the sheriff. The agency stopped in-person applications for aid in at least two different locations, but operations were expected to be back to normal on Monday, Oct. 14.

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.
Point phone camera here
To the southeast of Asheville in Rutherford County, FEMA teams worked from fixed locations instead of going door-to-door after National Guard troops reported seeing “armed militia” threatening FEMA workers, according to The Washington Post.
FEMA said its search-and-rescue efforts will continue, but its disaster survivor assistance teams will continue to work at fixed locations and secure areas as a precaution while the agency assesses potential threat information.
FEMA HAS BEEN FORCED TO PAUSE AID TO SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES IN NORTH CAROLINA IMPACTED BY HURRICANE HELENE… OVER REPORTS OF THREATS TO ITS RESPONDERS FOLLOWING MISINFORMATION BEING SPREAD ABOUT FEMA’S RESPONSE TO RECENT STORMS.
CERTAIN FEMA OPERATIONS WERE PAUSED IN ASHE COUNTY, NORTHEAST OF ASHEVILLE, OVER THE WEEKEND – IN WHAT THE SHERIFF THERE SAID WAS AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION.
THEY STOPPED IN-PERSON APPLICATIONS FOR AID AT AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS – BUT OPERATIONS WERE EXPECTED TO BE BACK TO NORMAL MONDAY.
TO THE SOUTHEAST OF ASHEVILLE – IN RUTHERFORD COUNTY – FEMA TEAMS AHD TO START WORKING FROM FIXED LOCATIONS INSTEAD OF GOING DOOR-TO-DOOR TO OFFER HELP… AFTER NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS REPORTED SEEING QUOTE “ARMED MILITIA” THREATENING FEMA WORKERS, ACCORDING TO A REPORT BY THE WASHINGTON POST.
FEMA SAYS ITS SEARCH AND RESCUE EFFORTS WILL CONTINUE, BUT ITS DISASTER SURVIVOR ASSISTANCE TEAMS WILL KEEP WORKING AT FIXED LOCATIONS AND SECURE AREAS AS A PRECAUTION WHILE THE AGENCY ASSESSES POTENTIAL THREAT INFORMATION.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn moreBias Distribution
Left
Untracked Bias
Straight to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.