Residents of flooded out towns across Appalachia have been forced to rely on charity relief efforts days after a Category 4 hurricane brought “biblical devastation” to communities seemingly abandoned by the federal government. While Hurricane Helene brewed over the Atlantic, the nation’s pre-eminent disaster agency was apparently distracted by concerns of “equity” and “climate resilience” over emergency preparedness.
The storm-related death toll eclipsed 100 on Monday morning as Americans desperate for resources depend on local first responders and private helicopters rather than the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). While FEMA routinely prepares for colossal rescue operations in the days leading up to major storms, such pre-staged support was clearly not available to residents in the Appalachian towns washed away by the torrential downpour from last week’s hurricane.
In an interview published with NPR on Sunday, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, who visited where the hurricane made landfall in Florida this weekend, was asked about the devastation in Tennessee and North Carolina.
“I believe it’s nine search-and-rescue teams in North Carolina,” Criswell said, with “more that are coming in today.”
“We’re sending in more resources,” the FEMA chief added, “to make sure we can get to everybody that’s been impacted by this, people that are still isolated from the effects of the storm.”
But moving resources in days after the storm does not mean resources were nearby and ready for deployment. The agency’s lack of proactive measures might be explained by the federal government’s listed values.
According to FEMA’s website, storm
