South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has addressed allegations of neglect during emergencies, including the massive flooding that occurred in June 2024. Noem, who is being considered for the position of leading the Department of Homeland Security, would be responsible for overseeing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at a time when natural disasters are on the rise.
Responding to claims made by some constituents, Noem firmly stated, 'that is absolutely not true whatsoever.' She emphasized that her administration is actively working through the FEMA process to provide affected families with the necessary resources following the tragic events.
Noem defended her actions by highlighting that her response to the flood began well in advance of its arrival, stating, 'those families went through something extremely tragic and we’re continuing to work through the FEMA process to bring them all the resources that they need.' She also pointed out that crucial details about the significant flood that hit South Dakota last year were omitted in the reports.
According to Noem, the response to the thousand-year flood was initiated promptly, 'days before the flood even came and hit the state.' She expressed frustration over what she perceived as a lack of comprehensive reporting on the efforts made by her administration to address the emergency situation.
