The southeast is still reeling from the effects of hurricane Helene. The vast disaster area, which spans six states, has complicated coordination efforts for FEMA, which has reportedly shipped more than 11.5 million meals, 12.6 million liters of water, 400,000 tarps, and 150 generators to the affected region. Besides the logistical difficulties, time itself is also of the essence, as the region prepares for hurricane Milton, which has strengthened to become a Category 5 storm.
But besides logistics, FEMA has also had to deal with the spread of misinformation from the GOP camp. On Thursday, Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene seemingly implied that Democrats controlled the weather for political gain, going as far a to share an image of a map of the states impacted by Helene with an overlay of their political leanings. Donald Trump himself also got in on the act, claiming that Biden was ignoring requests for help from Georgia's Republican governor Brian Kemp, allegations Kemp himself denied.
On Sunday, in an interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell was asked about these allegations and the effects of misinformation during natural disasters, leading to the following exchange with the presenter:
Stephanopoulos: "Let's let's talk about some of the misinformation that is out there, including these claims from former President Trump that FEMA is about $1 billion short because money has been going to undocumented immigrants"
Criswell "You know, it's frankly ridiculous and just plain false. This kind of rhetoric is not helpful to people. You know, it's really a shame that we're putting politics ahead of helping people, and that's what we're here to do. We have had the complete support of the state."
Criswell went on to express concern over the impact of misinformation, noting that such rhetoric is harmful to both disaster victims and emergency responders. She pointed out that local officials have joined FEMA in countering these false narratives, which she described as creating unnecessary fear among the public.
Claims circulating online, including suggestions of a militia response against FEMA, have raised concerns within the agency. Criswell stressed that this dangerous rhetoric not only affects the morale of FEMA workers but also hinders their ability to provide necessary assistance to disaster victims
"It has a tremendous impact on the comfort level of our own employees to be able to go out there. But it's also demoralizing to all of the first responders that have been out there in their communities helping people, FEMA staff, volunteers, the private sector that are working side by side with local officials to go out and help people."
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell torched MAGA lies about Hurricane Helene relief efforts calling them "ridiculous" today speaking with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos.
— Art Candee 🍿🥤 (@ArtCandee) October 6, 2024
When asked if FEMA is ready for Hurricane Milton, Criswell says "we are absolutely ready."... pic.twitter.com/vrvKuw2Ggl
A FEMA spokesperson clarified to Fox News that disaster relief funds and immigration-related funding are separate and come from different sources. The disaster money is provided by Congress and is exclusively used for relief operations.
In response to Hurricane Helene, the Biden administration has stepped up assistance, ordering the deployment of an additional 500 active-duty troops, bringing the total number of mobilized personnel to 1,500.
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