Federal emergency response workers operating in North Carolina’s Rutherford County in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene were told to evacuate on Saturday over concerns that an “armed militia” was threatening workers in the area, it has been reported.
An official with the U.S. Forest Service, which is supporting recovery efforts along with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), sent an message to numerous federal agencies at around 1 p.m. on Saturday warning that FEMA has advised all federal responders in Rutherford County to “stand down and evacuate the country immediately,” The Washington Post reported.
National Guard troops had come across two trucks of “armed militia saying they were out hunting FEMA,” the email said. “The IMTs [incident management teams] have been notified and are coordinating the evacuation of all assigned personnel in that county.”
Emergency personnel are observed on a road as the Rocky Broad River merges into Lake Lure, carrying debris from Chimney Rock, North Carolina, on September 28, 2024, in Lake Lure, North Carolina. Workers in Rutherford Country were reportedly told to evacuate on Saturday over safety concerns.
Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images
The Post reported that two federal officials had confirmed the email’s authenticity, but it was not clear if the threat described was viewed as credible.
An unnamed Forest Service official told the newspaper that personnel were moved to a “safe area” and some work in the area was paused. They were back in place by Sunday afternoon, the official said.
FEMA, the Forest Service and the National Guard have been contacted for comment via email outside business hours. This article will be updated if a response is received.
The incident demonstrates the growing concerns abut the safety of government workers in North Carolina, parts of which were devastated after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida on September 26. Helene killed at least 230 people as it moved north, leaving a trail of destruction across six states.
Since then, misinformation and rumors about the response from FEMA and other federal agencies has been rampant.
Some on social media called for FEMA to be targeted after a rumor that the devastated town of Chimney Rock was going to be seized and bulldozed by the government circulated online, despite local authorities and news outlets debunking the claim.
FEMA also been accused by former president Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, and other Republicans of not being able to respond well enough to Helene because it had diverted disaster relief funds to help migrants.
That is not true, because while FEMA administers the Shelter and Services Program, funding for it comes from a separate pot of money funded by Congress for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Other false claims that have circulated include that people taking federal relief money could see their land seized or that that $750 is the most they will ever get to rebuild. FEMA has pushed back against the false claims and conspiracy theories, setting up a page on its website to combat misinformation and rumors.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said last week that the false claims were hurting morale among workers as she urged people in hard-hit areas to accept the government’s offer for assistance.
“We have thousands of people on the ground, not just federal, but also our volunteers in the private sector,” Criswell said at a news conference in Asheville on October 7.
“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.”
