FEMA visits resume in North Carolina after threats
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) resumed visits in North Carolina following alleged threats targeting the agency’s personnel, according to agency administrator Deanne Criswell.
“We now have resumed all normal operations, and I have people going door to door and we continue to be in the field,” Criswell said during a Tuesday press briefing.
FEMA temporarily suspended aid in some parts of North Carolina over the weekend. Ashe County Sheriff Phil Howell said on Sunday that the agency’s staff in the Tar Heel State’s “mountain region” were targeted by threats.
“So let me be clear, I take these threats seriously, and the safety of these responders is and will remain a priority for me and my team,” Criswell said.
“Now, over the weekend, out of an abundance of caution, we made operational changes to keep FEMA personnel safe, but none of the changes we made impacted ongoing search and rescue or other life safety operations,” she continued, adding that canvassing operations have restarted on Monday.
A man in North Carolina was arrested on Saturday after threatening to harm FEMA employees who were helping in the Hurricane Helene recovery operation, per Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office. The man was identified as William Jacobs Parsons, 44, by law enforcement officials. Parsons was armed with a rifle and a handgun.
The alleged threats against FEMA workers come as misinformation regarding the agency’s response to Hurricane Helene spiked as natural disasters hit Southern states over the last few weeks.
Criswell said that misinformation “will not deter us from our mission of helping people, period. This is what we are here to do, and I want to set the story straight.”
Date: |
Topics
-
Top stories - CBS News
FEMA resumes normal operations in North Carolina after reported armed threat against workers
FEMA has resumed normal operations in North Carolina after scaling back recovery efforts in one county due to an armed threat against its workers. One man was arrested in connection with the ...23 hours ago -
Top stories - ABC News
Arrest made in connection with FEMA threats in North Carolina
An armed man was arrested for allegedly threatening to harm FEMA workers in North Carolina, officials say.Yesterday -
Top stories - NBC News
Armed man arrested on suspicion of threatening FEMA workers, authorities say
FEMA conspiracy theories spark rumors and response.Yesterday -
Top stories - CBS News
Arrest made after FEMA crews threatened amid hurricane relief efforts
FEMA says its disaster assistance teams will be at fixed locations after National Guard troops reportedly encountered armed militia who said they were "hunting FEMA" in North Carolina.Yesterday -
Politics - The Hill
Man accused of threatening FEMA workers in western North Carolina
A North Carolina man was arrested Saturday after threatening to harm Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employees who were aiding in the Hurricane Helene recovery effort, according to the ...Yesterday -
Top stories - The New York Times
Nearly 100 People Are Still Missing in North Carolina After Hurricane Helene
Search and rescue teams are still looking for the missing, officials said, with 95 deaths already attributed to the storm’s wrath in the state.18 hours ago -
Top stories - CBS News
Dozens still missing in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene
Nearly three weeks after Hurricane Helene brought torrential rain and flooding to North Carolina, at least 92 people are still missing in the state. Janet Shamlian spoke with several people still ...15 hours ago
More from The Hill
-
Politics - The Hill
Karl Rove fact-checks viral post: 'I have not been rallying for Kamala Harris'
Republican strategist Karl Rove on Tuesday sought to counter claims that he's been rallying for Vice President Harris in Pennsylvania, an allegation made in various viral posts on the social media ...16 minutes ago - Kamala Harris -
Politics - The Hill
FEMA workers threatened by armed group in Tennessee
"They were all armed, open carry not guns drawn, but they had surrounded them and there was a lady there that was yelling and threatening them."24 minutes ago -
Politics - The Hill
50-50 elections are bad for America
It doesn't strain credulity to imagine that a close race could lead to a disputed outcome, which could then lead to violence.28 minutes ago -
Politics - The Hill
Nebraska court allows voter registrations from people with felony convictions
Nebraskans with felony convictions may register to vote after the state's highest court ruled Wednesday that a top election official had no authority to deem a law restoring those rights ...54 minutes ago -
Politics - The Hill
Secret Service calls for new local units in push to prevent mass shootings
Secret Service officials encouraged law enforcement agencies across the nation to adopt behavioral assessment units in an effort to curb targeted violence in a Wednesday report issued by the ...57 minutes ago