LENOIR, N.C. — Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell is returning to North Carolina's ongoing Hurricane Helene relief efforts on Monday. The administrator had left behind federal resources when she went to Florida to tour storm damage from Hurricane Milton.
FEMA has reportedly reopened its disaster relief support centers after seemingly closing them on Sunday due to undisclosed threats, according to the Ashe County Sheriff's Office.
After posting on Sunday that FEMA had "paused their process" because of an "abundance of caution" following "threats made against them," the sheriff's office posted again on Monday to say operations had returned to normal. While the sheriff's office said the threats had occurred outside of Ashe County, the post did not offer details about the potential threats. Neither did a FEMA spokesperson when WCNC Charlotte reached out on Sunday.
"FEMA continues to support communities impacted by Helene and help survivors apply for assistance," the spokesperson wrote to WCNC Charlotte. "For the safety of our dedicated staff and the disaster survivors we are helping, FEMA has made some operational adjustments. Disaster Recovery Centers will continue to be open as scheduled, survivors continue to register for assistance, and we continue to help the people of North Carolina with their recovery."
Other people posted to social media to discuss the FEMA changes. Someone posted on the subreddit for Asheville that their FEMA inspection had been canceled for Sunday because of the threats. WCNC Charlotte cannot independently verify the claim.
When Criswell visits the Disaster Recovery Center in Caldwell County on Monday, WCNC Charlotte hopes to ask her for more information about the potential threats and any impacts to their ongoing operation.
“We have thousands of people on the ground, not just federal, but also our volunteers in the private sector,” Criswell said at a previous news conference in Asheville, North Carolina. “And frankly, that type of rhetoric is demoralizing to our staff that have left their families to come here and help the people of North Carolina. And we will be here as long as they’re needed.”
Both Republican and Democratic elected officials have been trying to dispel rumors targeted at the FEMA response.
FEMA has also tried to assure the residents of western North Carolina that their assistance will not be diminished by newly-launched assistance in Florida.