When Hurricane Helene devastated North Carolina in September 2024, FEMA pledged swift relief. But for Swannanoa resident Emily Russell, hope turned to despair after multiple aid denials. You just feel lost, she admitted, cradling her newborn amidst debris and Trump-Vence campaign signs. Her story echoes growing support for Trump’s proposal to abolish the agency.
Over $750 million in FEMA aid flowed into North Carolina post-Helene. Yet data reveals stark disparities:
- 70% of Buncombe County applicants received assistance
- 91% of approvals capped at $10k—insufficient for total losses
- 3.6% secured maximum payouts near $42,500
Danny Bailey, a retiree who lost his trailer and family property, received the maximum grant.
If this is the way they are, he ought to do away with them,he told reporters. Critics argue FEMA’s administrative hurdles—requiring receipts from destroyed homes and digital access amid power outages—compound trauma.
UNC disaster expert Miyuki Hino warns dissolution risks slower recoveries: Climate-driven disasters demand coordinated federal responses. Boone Mayor Pro Tempore Dalton George credits FEMA’s hotel vouchers and debris removal while acknowledging systemic flaws.
For Vickie Revis, whose riverside home vanished, FEMA’s $40k grant fuels rebuilding efforts. It’s the small wins now, she said, sorting through donated supplies. As political debates rage, survivors face a brutal calculus: wait for systemic reforms or back Trump’s untested alternative?