When on Saturday morning this Mountain City of Blue Rijah in North Carolin is going to celebrate the anniversary of the destructive floods caused by Hurricane Helen, the agenda calls for the survivors to give witnesses so that the voices rush to the “beautiful” and in a minute of silence.
The ceremony “is a way for us to try to complete this,” says Old Fort -Mar Pam Snipes.
But a year after the remnants of Helens poured historical flows of rain in these mountains, the mayor of Snipes admits that although progress has been achieved, there are still so many left. The restoration efforts, in fact, were not wrapped at all – in general.
Why did we write this
Saturday celebrates the anniversary of the hurricane Helena, a storm that was knocking, and the flooded-mountain cities of North Carolina, and where the politics complicated recovery, with the exception of local efforts. As receiving federal assistance became more Quixotic.
Garbage mounds were cleaned, enterprises opened again, and with the help of federal financing of the Emergency Situations and Private donations, this city is gathering on time for the tourist season this year.
Nevertheless, as crops, beaten to the ground with heavy rain, the old fort – like dozens of other communities on the mountains of Western Carolina – still need good weather to flourish if not just survive. Many residents of the old fort remain in temporary housing, and the city is still waiting for millions of dollars in the field of federal compensation for extraordinary expenses necessary to correct its streets, water systems and schools – almost 20 projects.
In short, the city has become a window on the problems of major restoration efforts, as well as on how we help in the communities related to disasters, including financing politicization, ”concerns the survivors.
“I do not blame politics or president, but the processes are repeated, and money takes too much time,” she says. “All of them mean well, but, frankly, I don’t care what your words are. Send and enter into action. ”
Last week, the governor of North Carolina Josh Stein, a democrat, tried to do it. He went to Washington to change the request for $ 13 billion, which he calls the “fair share” of the federal government. To date, Washington approved less than 10% of the request, and most of this money still expects paymentField
Structural reforms, mass dismissals in Fema and budget chess of the Trump administration led to growing complaints of both Republicans and Democrats, including local and federal representatives, on delays and confusion, which complicate the recovery of the state.
“The fundamental question remains: what is happening with the general community [being thought of] How is the collective good? “Says Robert Griffin, the founder of the college of readiness for emergency situations, national security and cybersecurity at the university in Olbani.
“The Americans said:“ We believe that even a small city in North Carolin deserves restoration so that people can live and grow in safety. ” Honestly, a lot of what I hear now contradicts this, ”adds Griffin.
Delays, confusion and “occupy too long”
Helen hit a month before the elections of 2024 and became an outbreak for candidates and political leaders who discussed the efforts of the federal government on a spontaneous response. President Trump and his campaign patted the Biden administration, incorrectly saying that this distracts Fema Fema in the housing of migrants.
At that time, some local Republicans, despite their support for the candidate of Mr. Trump, canceled several online accusations, including rumors that Fema pays only $ 750 for a claim. They noted that many residents were, in fact, received a maximum of $ 42,000 from the government to restore.
President Trump says that the government’s promises are now fulfilled through a faster, slender, best Fema. Trump administration officials indicate a shorter time for individual assistance payments, as well as awards from the Governor of Texas Greg Ebbotta regarding Washington’s response to recent floods in Texas. And the Ministry of Internal Security, meanwhile, continues to repeat the mantra of the administration of Trump for public relations that the secretary of Christie Nooy “is eradicated, fraud, abuses and overestimates the assigned dollars.”
Last week, the administration produced $ 44 million. USA in the amount of 1.3 billion dollars. The United States, already sent to North Carolina, including $ 1.4 million. The United States, mandatory for the new shed for maintenance in the old fort. The Ministry of Internal Security said in the issue that “guarantees that dollars are delivered to communities with a record speed.”
But the reality in the field, according to the mayor of SNiP and others, lies in the fact that financing was often too little, too late.
As of September North Carolin, more than $ 2 billion in Fema financing for the repair of Hurricane Helene was promised, which makes it one of several states, including Florida, Texas and Louisian, to receive significant grants from the administration trying to transfer as a result of emergency recovery to the States.
But the delays became endemic, complicating recovery and creating new uncertainty regarding whether there will be spent money already spent.
Former FEMA head Cameron Hamilton, appointed by Trump, and then replaced the oath of the administration for the elimination of Fema, published on social networks for the contradiction, that the new budget controls were created by Noem ”completely new forms of bureaucracy.
Some delays are related to financing problems. In recent years, the Fema (DRF) assistance fund has become constantly underfunded, since the costs and frequency of disasters have increased.
This means that the administration of Trump “stretches” the existing flows of financing Fema ” reduce the federal role As a result of emergency recovery ”, according to the report of September 19, from the donations of Carnegie for the international world, which provides an independent analysis of global problems.
Upshot is a series of disappointing delays, like those who saw here in the old fort. “This is a short-term sorting strategy that risks long-term consequences,” Jennifer Delesaro from Carnegie and Sarah Labovitz will write in their report: “The Trump administration quietly limits the stream of disaster financing.”
This reality is obvious in all the Appalachian mountains, where many cities are trying to recover and are still waiting for help. The combination of state and federal funds, plus billions of insurance payments, should cover about a quarter of the estimated $ 60 billion in storm losses. But, according to the report published this week, about $ 44 billion costs for natural disasters remains unchanged.
The last request of the state for additional federal financing in the amount of $ 13 billion does not cover the outstanding expenses. But North Carolina has a hope for help. Ultimately, Congress appropriated about $ 120 billion to restore efforts after a hurricane Catherine.
Earlier this week, the district manager Yangsi Linn Austin told legislators in the role of that officials almost exhausted the entire budget of the district, only when the hurricane Helen was removed. In the past, FEMA was reimbursed from 90% to 100% of these removal costs. But so far the district has not seen a cent.
“The feds, obviously, were more slowly than anyone expected,” said Senator Ralph His, R-Mitchell, at a legislative hearing at the request to finance Congress.
“Our biggest obstacle is the lack of clarity and consistent leadership from Fema,” said the lawmakers Dennis Oldridge, Commissioner of the County of Ewen.
Fema disappointment and unlikely allies
This hearing was also attended by Jonathan Krebs, a consultant to restore the region, who stated that the slowdown in Fema was causing disappointment, but officials were afraid of retaliation by the Trump administration, if they complained. “This is happening with great difficulty,” Mr. Crebs said to legislators.
Such fears are not unreasonable. Acting FEMA administrator David Richardson, who has no experience in emergency management, Partly joke The states led by the Republicans receive Fema's help faster than those who headed the Democrats, reports The Washington Post.
“The Trump administration was very transactional:“ What will you do for me if I do it for you? “, Says Christopher Cooper, who studies the policy of North Carolina at the University of Western Carolina in Kulloukhi. “But this is not the way to relieve disaster.”
Thus, the northern Carolins, whose first days are filled with stories about survival, the desire for self -government and improvisation, the culmination of which was the first successful flight of the aircraft in Kitty Hawk, began to improvise. And a compromise.
Patrick Jonsson/The Christian Science Monitor
Senator Ted Badd, Republican, Republican with a magician, relied on the administration at the beginning of this month, holding numerous appointments to the Ministry of Internal Security, until the money was released.
It was a risky gambit. But it worked.
At the same time, Governor Stein, Democrat, continued to demonstrate strong polling stations in Western North Carolin, despite the conservative inclinations of the region, mainly from his reputation as tough, but effective moderate.
In short, the usual goal of assisting the state, applied by stormy districts, apparently pushed the partisan policy to the side, at least when it comes to emergency recovery.
“We see how Governor Stein and Senator Badd as unlikely allies,” says Professor Cooper, co-editor of the “New Carolina Policy”, “The Book of Political Essays”. I doubt that we will catch them together in the game with Tar-Kabluki. But they managed to work together. ”
And, despite all the translations and financial problems, the progress achieved by these communities of the Western Northern Carolina, since Helen was significant and sometimes inspiring.
After the almost 20-mile network of mountain bike paths above the old fort was unsuitable for downed trees, these paths are now mostly cleaned. Most of the region is now open for seasonal, leaf tourists. Hundreds of bridges are still in need of repair, but most state and district roads are open.
“We are focused on restoration not only to survive, but also to grow,” says the mayor of Snipes. “From the storm, everything has changed.”
What is important
Lifetime resident Sond -fort Sons Brendel recalls flood chaos, which defeated about 50 houses around her. Now she is amazed at the city that is healed. According to her, before the floods, the inhabitants of the old fort crossed swords from -whether to allow Mikrokrotrevo -pivovard in the dry district. Now, thanks to the restoration efforts, the city gathered together again.
“We helped each other,” she says. “It was a rallied city again. Politics did not matter. “
This spirit emphasizes a wider American bet that the communities, affected by disaster, can recover, working together, attracting government officials and trusting Washington to hold the US Declaration about the goal of being a “more perfect union”.
“People complain a lot, and I agree with many complaints. But can we imagine what the region will look like now if the government did not have any assistance to a natural disaster? ” Professor Cooper in Kullouhi says. “In a sense, this was the best case that I once saw why the government still matters.”
