Some North Carolinians Support Trump’s Call to Abolish FEMA

SWANNANOA, N.C. (AP) — Emily Russell recalls her feelings of hope when she secured an appointment with the Federal Emergency Management Agency shortly after Hurricane Helene devastated her home in Swannanoa, North Carolina.

However, after numerous assistance requests were either denied or left unresolved, Russell claims that the agency has provided “no help” to her family in the aftermath of the late September storm. As she continues to grapple with the chaos caused by one of the most destructive storms in the state’s history, she finds herself receptive to President Donald Trump’s idea of “abolishing” FEMA.

This sentiment resonates throughout the mountainous regions of western North Carolina, where enduring months in a trailer with scant supplies tests anyone’s resilience. Russell, who, like many others, lacked flood insurance, faced these challenges while preparing for her son’s birth, only to later receive help from volunteers who rebuilt her home. Now back in her residence, she can hold her newborn son in her arms on her newly built porch, which overlooks a massive heap of decaying debris and two Trump-Vance signs standing on a pole in her yard.

Discontent with temporary relief efforts has intensified due to uncertainty over the source of long-term aid. FEMA is intended to serve as an initial support system, supplying interim housing and repair funds while insurance covers most expenditures. This was not the impression many residents received, especially when politicians, including then-President Joe Biden, who visited the affected area, assured them they would have all necessary assistance.

As time passes, the complexities of long-term recovery have become more pronounced.

Russell, along with many others, responded positively to Trump’s mention of potentially abolishing FEMA. In contrast, some experts and officials argue that such a move could lead to greater complications.

Shortly after taking office on January 20, Trump assessed the aftermath of wildfires in California and the hurricane in North Carolina, proposing that states should take the lead in natural disaster responses. During his campaign, he had previously criticized FEMA’s performance in Southern states affected by Helene. That criticism has continued uninterrupted since the winds subsided.

Under mounting pressure, FEMA’s effectiveness was further questioned when Elon Musk, an adviser to Trump, criticized the agency regarding reimbursement payments to New York City for hotel accommodations for migrants. As a result, four FEMA employees were terminated due to accusations of bypassing leadership to authorize those payments, which have been standard practice via a protocol intended to assist with expenses tied to an influx of migrants.

The North Carolina government estimated that Helene resulted in a staggering $59.6 billion in damages. By February 11, FEMA had allocated nearly $380 million in public assistance grants to the state and local governments along with approximately $372 million in direct aid to North Carolinians. FEMA’s roles encompass direct support to individuals and reimbursement for local governments to undertake restoration activities such as debris clearance and road reconstruction.

Russell was perplexed when her FEMA application was denied, especially considering an inspector had informed her that her home was a total loss. Rushing floodwaters stripped the side of her house and poured in heavy mud, damaging the floorboards and rendering most of her belongings beyond recovery. She feared that the home where she grew up would have to be demolished.

Russell attempted to contact FEMA, discussing her denied application with representatives in person. They indicated she needed receipts for some personal items, which she could not provide.

“Being told it’s pending or not approved is a devastating feeling,” Russell commented. “It makes you feel utterly lost.”

In Buncombe County, where Russell resides, around 70% of homeowners who registered with FEMA received some form of assistance, per agency data. Of those, approximately 91% received up to $10,000, while about 3.6% received between $25,000 and a total payout likely exceeding $40,000.

Danny Bailey, a 61-year-old retiree from Buncombe County, mentioned he received $42,500 after losing nearly everything due to flooding, including the trailer he lived in, his sister’s double-wide mobile home, and a barn. His family had been on that property since 1968.

Bailey has already used part of his funds for essentials like propane to survive the winter. He is currently staying in a donated trailer parked on his now-muddy property and expressed that FEMA “should’ve done more.”

“If this is their way of operating, he should do away with them,” Bailey remarked, referring to Trump, who won North Carolina and gained momentum from this state during the previous November elections.

Bailey encountered challenges when trying to access his funds. Within days of Helene’s passing, a FEMA inspector directed him to apply for disaster assistance online, but he had no access to a computer or reliable cell service. He journeyed nearly 100 miles east to Statesville to use his nephew’s computer and then struggled to get straight answers from FEMA regarding his application’s status. Ultimately, he did receive his payment.

“It felt like their attitude was, this happened to you, but it’s your responsibility to fix it. And I didn’t cause this, you know,” he chuckled.

Complaints regarding the FEMA application process are prevalent due to the intricate administrative procedures established to verify eligibility, noted Miyuki Hino, a city and regional planning professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Many also hold the belief that FEMA should provide more extensive support despite its primary function being to address immediate needs, such as shelter.

The federal government’s involvement in natural disaster response has always been contentious, but Hino reported that the growing politicization of the agency might stem from the rising frequency and costliness of disasters linked to climate change. Eliminating FEMA could pose problems when disasters surpass state lines or localities require expertise in unfamiliar types of crises.

Many believe that dismantling FEMA would likely hinder recovery efforts for upcoming disasters, she said.

The potential abolishment of FEMA concerns Dalton George, Boone’s mayor pro tempore, a mountain town in Watauga County that faced significant damage from Helene. While understandable frustrations exist, he maintains that the agency responded swiftly to aid those in need. It has provided funds for home repairs and facilitated hotel lodging for several families through its temporary shelter program, he stated.

“It seems people are more against FEMA than they are committed to resolving these issues,” George observed.

This would partly shift responsibilities to local governments, and George remarked that municipalities like Boone lack the necessary resources for such obligations. Additionally, private organizations would need to contribute more than they currently do, which is already an overextended situation.

Vickie Revis heavily depends on private organizations, such as churches, to provide nearly everything on her property, including the trailer she currently shares with her husband alongside the Swannanoa River. The river, once a source of beauty and tranquility for her over eight years, now brings back memories tied to “terror” after it swept away her residence.