The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is reportedly turning away donations for victims of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, according to a report from an on-the-ground volunteer who attempted to deliver a caravan of essential supplies to local residents on Saturday.
Today I had my first direct encounter with FEMA. I've also heard firsthand reports from people I closely work with here on the ground about similar incidents. A trend is forming. I'll do my best to provide an accurate, unbiased analysis of it here.
Buckle up, this is a long one.
— Mike VonSteuben (@MikeVonsteuben) October 6, 2024
Mike VonSteuben, a North Carolina business owner who organized a caravan of 10 vehicles loaded with generators, filters, charcoal, and blankets, said he and his group were turned away by FEMA personnel at the Pensacola Volunteer Fire Department in Burnsville who had taken over the station and were “doing an inventory” of supplies.
“We were informed by a female ‘logistics officer’ that they were not accepting any more donations until Monday, and to take our supplies back,” VonSteuben wrote in a now-viral post on X, formerly Twitter.
We finally arrived safely at the fire station. We were informed by a female "logistics officer" that they were not accepting any more donations until Monday, and to take our supplies back.
— Mike VonSteuben (@MikeVonsteuben) October 6, 2024
“Some locals who were distributing supplies from that fire station told us that FEMA had taken over and was doing an inventory. They also told us that they were only distributing animal feed and hygiene items like toilet paper,” VonSteuben added.
After being reportedly turned away with his caravan of donations by FEMA, VonSteuben said he attempted to distribute the supplies on his own by going door to door and advertising the supplies with a cardboard sign; however, said he was only able to distribute approximately 70 percent of the supplies he brought.
VonSteuben also said he reported his encounter with FEMA to leadership at a local church, who in return told him they had heard of similar incidents occurring with personnel sent by the American Red Cross.
“FEMA and the Red Cross seem to be methodically taking over distribution centers and shutting them down to ‘inventory’ them. They also sent representatives to our distribution point at the church, but left us alone,” VonSteuben said.
VonSteuben said his advice for other volunteers looking to donate supplies to victims of the hurricane would be to send donations to local churches and to send a “route recon” ahead of any planned trips to ensure roadways are open and distribution centers will accept and not turn away donations.
State of the road from Burnsville to Pensacola. In the second pic my tires were literally 3 inches from the edge on both sides.
You can see how it was frustrating to risk our vehicles and our personal safety to take supplies to people only to get told to go away. pic.twitter.com/Z1Yzq2zoVO
— Mike VonSteuben (@MikeVonsteuben) October 6, 2024
In a separate post, VonSteuben described the incident as “frustrating,” noting how he and his group put their own lives and vehicles at risk to navigate roadways ravaged by the hurricane “only to get told to go away.”
VonSteuben’s encounter with FEMA personnel comes days after the federal agency claimed it was not “turning away donations, stopping trucks or vehicles with donations, or confiscating and seizing supplies,” calling reports of such activity “rumors.”
Meanwhile, FEMA launched a new “rumor response” webpage dedicated to confronting what it describes “misunderstandings” and “misleading information” regarding its handling of response efforts in wake of the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
– – –
Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
