The chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency to detail the agency’s preparations for Hurricane Helene in the wake of what will be catastrophic flooding.
Helen made landfall in Great Bend, Florida on September 26, causing flooding that devastated North Carolina, Tennessee and other southern states and claimed more than 200 lives.
In a letter sent Saturday, Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, chairman of the House Emergency Management and Technology Subcommittee, asked FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell “about FEMA advanced forecasting models, resource prepositioning, and coordination with federal, federal, and state government information.” State and local partners responded. “
A spokesperson for the Federal Emergency Management Agency confirmed to NBC News that the agency received the letter and will work with Congress to respond to Hurricane Helene.
Desposito, RN, quoted a local official in Buncombe County, North Carolina, as saying water was requested before the storm began but was later delayed, further exacerbating Asheville’s water shortage.
At a White House press briefing on Monday, Homeland Security Adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall told reporters that FEMA focused its prepositioning efforts on the Great Bend, Florida, area and that the effort saved lives. . Once logged in, it “surges capacity to where it’s needed most.” She noted that western North Carolina has now been identified as the hardest-hit region.
While former President Donald Trump has been harshly critical of FEMA and the administration’s overall response to Helen, even promote misinformation Regarding the agency, other North Carolina Republicans praised the federal government’s actions.
Sen. Thom Tillis defended the agency on Friday, telling reporters: “They’re doing a great job. They can always work harder. There are always issues in the tights and we’re solving them behind the scenes.” Those questions, but I think we’re all here to send a message that we’re working together and I’m very proud of the effort.
“Now, am I going to be silent on any areas where we could do better? No, but right now, I’m here to say we’re doing a great job,” he added.
Rep. Chuck Edwards, a Republican who represents much of western North Carolina, criticized the federal response earlier this week, but by Friday he wrote a report letter Describe to his constituents how his complaints were dealt with immediately.
“I’m hearing from county after county that FEMA and the state are not meeting their food and water needs fast enough, and there is barely any cell service,” he wrote. “While trying to get through federal emergency management After the Department of Emergency Management and the North Carolina Department of Emergency Management worked with no luck, I asked the White House to immediately send three pallets of water and two pallets of Meals-Ready-Eat (MRE) to our seven hardest-hit counties and provided Buncombe County with 20 pallets of MRE and 20 pallets of water until final delivery of state resources.
Edwards said he also requested temporary cell towers for six counties, and all six counties received at least one within the same day.
The agency has provided more than $110 million in federal aid to help thousands of survivors begin recovery, a spokesperson told NBC News. More than 6,400 federal personnel, including FEMA staff, are deployed to affected areas. FEMA has distributed more than 13.2 million meals, 13.4 million liters of water, 157 generators and more than 492,000 tarps to support the region’s recovery efforts, according to a FEMA spokesperson.
