December 4, 2024 – North Carolina residents are left stranded as FEMA fails to deliver aid after Hurricane Helene

In Email/Dossier/Govt Corruption Investigations, Featured Timeline Entries by Katie Weddington

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, thousands of North Carolina residents found themselves stranded in the wreckage, waiting for help that never came. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which is tasked with providing disaster relief, has failed to meet its promises to those devastated by the storm, leaving many families with nowhere to turn.

O’Keefe Media Group traveled to Swannanoa, North Carolina, to investigate the government’s delayed response to the disaster. Despite FEMA’s claims that assistance would be promptly delivered, residents like Daily Dow are left struggling with no immediate relief in sight.

James O’Keefe speaks with Daily Dow.

“They [FEMA] haven’t helped me yet,” said Dow, whose home was destroyed by the storm. Dow explained that although FEMA has provided temporary housing at a hotel, she and her children are soon to be relocated to a tent, leaving them vulnerable to the harsh conditions. “It’s been two months, and I can’t wait in the cold anymore,” she said, emphasizing the growing sense of despair.

“This area was completely devastated,” one Hurricane Helene victim in Western North Carolina shared, describing the extent of the flooding during the storm. “You can see, I mean, the river’s quite far away, but the water came all the way up here. Everything inside has to come out.”

In the wake of the disaster, @OKeefeMedia Group traveled to North Carolina to investigate the government’s failure to provide timely assistance, despite promises of aid. “They [FEMA] haven’t helped me yet,” Swannanoa, North Carolina resident Daily Dow said. Many residents who have lost everything are left to fend for themselves while FEMA’s support remains absent. Dow added, “FEMA has helped me with a hotel. They paid for my hotel,” sharing she has one more day at the hotel before she and her children will move into “a tent with a stove, a wood stove in it.”

“It’s been two months, and I can’t wait in the cold anymore,” Dow said, emphasizing the growing despair. Despite FEMA’s promises of up to $47,000 for rebuilding, their inaction has left Dow feeling abandoned: “I’m eligible to get up to $47,000 to replace my house. But they haven’t come through.”

In the face of government inaction, volunteers with Spokes of Hope, Savage Freedom, All Hands and Hearts, and other local communities are stepping in to support each other. “Churches have been really helpful,” a volunteer shared. “Samaritan’s Purse is doing a good job… Savage Freedom that’s been coming out.” Even with the outpouring of volunteer efforts, the lack of official aid continues to be a harsh reality for many.

Stay tuned for PART 2 of our four-part series, where OMG takes hidden cameras behind the scenes to confront federal FEMA officials… @SamaritansPurse @AllHandsHearts