Why are we not talking about the devastation in Western NC, TN, and other places?

I'm local to this disaster area and I can confirm the last two posts from Lawless. Yes, things were pretty disorganized the first few days and there were a few (well documented now) instances of egotistical fire chiefs and out of state bureaucrats who'd never seen a gun up close. Things are running much smoother now. Also, fuck Mayorkas.
 
If resources are starting to pile up unused, then they need to start staging overage for the potential need down in west coast / central Florida region come Wednesday with hurricane Milton.

Too slow to respond.. There in lies the problem. We can see the hurricanes days out before landfall but nothing moves, except maybe the electric companies, with any coordination in the region until a week after landfall.
 
If resources are starting to pile up unused, then they need to start staging overage for the potential need down in west coast / central Florida region come Wednesday with hurricane Milton.

Too slow to respond.. There in lies the problem. We can see the hurricanes days out before landfall but nothing moves, except maybe the electric companies, with any coordination in the region until a week after landfall.
It's not so much that the resources are piling up unused. Still very much need. The bottleneck is the roads to the most isolated communities. I'm totally serious, first person view, over a week later and there are places, entire towns, that are not accessible by any wheeled vehicle and even a good LZ is limited. Less mountainous communities and cities like Asheville are now totally in clean up mode and turning into the usual bureaucratic nightmare they were before the hurricane. Thankfully, the most rural communities are used to being isolated. Six inches of snow does it most years, for a few days.
 
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The bottleneck is the roads to the most isolated communities.

Yep I mentioned earlier in this thread. It become very evident to me that every man in these Appalachian mountains should own a chainsaw. That does not help with the landslides. But the majority of road closures I saw were tree related.

Also hard copies of maps are very critical to have on hand for when there is no Internet.
 
This fellow goes on about his qualifications, then shows his ignorance by not addressing how damn long it took for these units he is talking about to get off their asses and do something.
That's true. The bureaucratic government wheels took days to get spun up. No excuse for that. Anyone waiting on an federal response waited too long. Thankfully, local response was immediate, followed by state response, a little slower. My view, Tennessee state response was faster and more efficient than North Carolina, but TN had a little less area to cover and somewhat less mountainous. Either way, neighbors were the best and fastest response, as it should be.
 
That's true. The bureaucratic government wheels took days to get spun up. No excuse for that. Anyone waiting on an federal response waited too long. Thankfully, local response was immediate, followed by state response, a little slower. My view, Tennessee state response was faster and more efficient than North Carolina, but TN had a little less area to cover and somewhat less mountainous. Either way, neighbors were the best and fastest response, as it should be.
there are supposedly whistleblowers complaining the preparation before and deployments after it hit were not well planned or executed,
anyway, glad it is less of a clusterfuck now, if that is true.
 
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yes and anything that comes out about gov wanting to aid the destruction of "deplorable" communities is very easy to believe. easy to believe that the goal is elimination of caucasians. haven't heard any word that the info coming out of maui is not the whole truth.
i await mr.milton.
 
there are supposedly whistleblowers complaining the preparation before and deployments after it hit were not well planned or executed,
anyway, glad it is less of a clusterfuck now, if that is true.
Well, it would be less of a clusterfuck regardless, just by the passage of time. Seems to me watching this, FEMA is a bureaucratic nightmare we could do without. Maybe they could just stay home and write checks. DOD was a little late to the game, but total rockstars once they got going. It was still the local police, fire departments, and neighbors who owned equipment that were there immediately, because of course they were in the shit too. This is well shown by the number of emergency vehicles in the river and that picture of the Egypt, NC firehouse with the shoulder wide hole cut in the roof. It was a really scary 30 hours or so.
 
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Word from folks I know on the ground who live in the worst affected areas and/or are ferrying supplies daily. Folks I know in Ashe, Watauga and Buncombe. Folks from a NC based offroad board too who are on the ground and working daily.

FEMA is NOT keeping people from helping. Local officials ARE limiting folks from just putzing around gawking. Disaster tourists are out and clogging up roads and hindering efforts.

Supplies are in need of sorting and distribution. Plenty is there, what is needed is bodies to get it ready to go and bodies to get it there.

Military IS there doing deliveries and from several states.

It will be years this is measured in. Some places won’t be the same and some places will not be rebuilt.

Most have no insurance to cover their losses.

The roads and power are fragile in normal times, much less in the face of feet of rain.

Samaritan’s Purse is doing work, Red Cross is a joke. Local churches are in it to win it and who you should seek out to help.
All true, except maybe the fema part.






That's true. The bureaucratic government wheels took days to get spun up. No excuse for that. Anyone waiting on an federal response waited too long. Thankfully, local response was immediate, followed by state response, a little slower. My view, Tennessee state response was faster and more efficient than North Carolina, but TN had a little less area to cover and somewhat less mountainous. Either way, neighbors were the best and fastest response, as it should be.
tennessee has a much much easier job.

The affected areas in tn are on the edge. Eg Erwin got hit hard. The interstate ends in Erwin now. That means everyone to the west wanting to help gets to Erwin almost like normal. Almost anywhere in tn zone is reachable with one tank of gas in the sxs. Or a day hike.

To get to NC you have to go to top of mtn and then down the other side. The roads are normally way curvier than the tail of the dragon not too far from here. (When they’re not washed out blocked with trees and debris and the bridges gone) Then you have 100 miles of affected area. So the people in NC are just so much more isolated than TN. Many areas are still not accessible.


That said, I’ve heard many stories of NC officials, particularly Asheville, not being, as Scott says, emotionally durable enough to handle the crisis.

I can’t imagine how devastating this would be in the 1800s
 
Well, it would be less of a clusterfuck regardless, just by the passage of time. Seems to me watching this, FEMA is a bureaucratic nightmare we could do without. Maybe they could just stay home and write checks. DOD was a little late to the game, but total rockstars once they got going. It was still the local police, fire departments, and neighbors who owned equipment that were there immediately, because of course they were in the shit too. This is well shown by the number of emergency vehicles in the river and that picture of the Egypt, NC firehouse with the shoulder wide hole cut in the roof. It was a really scary 30 hours or so.
despite reports to the contrary, it is possible people are still having issues with fema.
i can see how locals want to help immediately, and the bureaucracy needs everything to be counted and issued in an orderly fashion.



 
Asheville firefighter here. Just read this whole thread and want to thank everyone for their prayers. I also wanted to ask you all to stop with the political bullshit, at least until we finish recovering bodies. The news wasn’t reporting in the beginning because they couldn’t get here. IDGAF about Ukraine this week either. They aren’t affecting us right now. Later, maybe, but let’s wait till then to cross that bridge. We have resources from all over the country here, and have for a week. The amount of help in town is truly humbling. Per our local congressman (Chuck Edwards (R)) there have been over 13 million meals and bottles of water delivered to date. He pushes out a briefing every day that is current & accurate. Sign up if you’re interested in what’s actually happening. It’s better info than you will get on insta. The ☠️ numbers you see in the news will continue to climb and I’m simply sick of hearing about politics. It’s bad. Really bad. It’s hard to put into words bad. Many of us have cell & power back but there is no estimate on clean water. Thanksgiving has been mentioned as a target for restoring the whole system. I realize I’m pretty exhausted and punchy right now and I’m also venting. TLDR: Keep praying for us but stop using our personal tragedies to push your agenda right now. Especially because most of it is false. Also, not a lib. Just really tired & really tired of politicians right now.
 
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Asheville firefighter here. Just read this whole thread and want to thank everyone for their prayers. I also wanted to ask you all to stop with the political bullshit, at least until we finish recovering bodies. The news wasn’t reporting in the beginning because they couldn’t get here. IDGAF about Ukraine this week either. They aren’t affecting us right now. Later, maybe, but let’s wait till then to cross that bridge. We have resources from all over the country here, and have for a week. The amount of help in town is truly humbling. Per our local congressman (Chuck Edwards (R)) there have been over 13 million meals and bottles of water delivered to date. He pushes out a briefing every day that is current & accurate. Sign up if you’re interested in what’s actually happening. It’s better info than you will get on insta. The ☠️ numbers you see in the news will continue to climb and I’m simply sick of hearing about politics. It’s bad. Really bad. It’s hard to put into words bad. Many of us have cell & power back but there is no estimate on clean water. Thanksgiving has been mentioned as a target for restoring the whole system. I realize I’m pretty exhausted and punchy right now and I’m also venting. TLDR: Keep praying for us but stop using our personal tragedies to push your agenda right now. Especially because most of it is false. Also, not a lib. Just really tired & really tired of politicians right now.
All the best to you and yours. You don’t get scene control here though, firefighter. I’ve worked in EMS as well, I have some idea of how this works. The last thing on your mind should be a thread on the Hide.
 
If people still want to help, I am a member of an organization that is helping deliver supplies. Redtruckmen.org is a Christian group that is sending men teams on a rotating 3 day schedule. There is a link on their web page, which is attached to Amazon, and the stuff gets delivered to RTM in Concord NC. The next team to go up, takes what has been delivered. This is a good group of guys and it falls under the Billy Graham network. I have not gone with them, due to the cleanup involved at my property, but we have donated and will continue as long as they are going up.
 

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas faces a new firestorm of criticism for claiming FEMA is out of disaster funds right as the DHS' Inspector General released a report saying FEMA is sitting on at least $8.3 billion in untapped, unspent funds.
 
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Asheville firefighter here. Just read this whole thread and want to thank everyone for their prayers...Thanksgiving has been mentioned as a target for restoring the whole system.
They water company lost a 36 inch pipe buried 25 ft of ground due to an erosion event (think mini-grand canyon carved by water-runoff). The pipe is massive IIRC it was engineered to be the backup/ or "redundant" system.

The main system--was less well protected--and appearently "dissapeared" without a trace...:oops:

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Asheville firefighter here. Just read this whole thread and want to thank everyone for their prayers. I also wanted to ask you all to stop with the political bullshit, at least until we finish recovering bodies. The news wasn’t reporting in the beginning because they couldn’t get here. IDGAF about Ukraine this week either. They aren’t affecting us right now. Later, maybe, but let’s wait till then to cross that bridge. We have resources from all over the country here, and have for a week. The amount of help in town is truly humbling. Per our local congressman (Chuck Edwards (R)) there have been over 13 million meals and bottles of water delivered to date. He pushes out a briefing every day that is current & accurate. Sign up if you’re interested in what’s actually happening. It’s better info than you will get on insta. The ☠️ numbers you see in the news will continue to climb and I’m simply sick of hearing about politics. It’s bad. Really bad. It’s hard to put into words bad. Many of us have cell & power back but there is no estimate on clean water. Thanksgiving has been mentioned as a target for restoring the whole system. I realize I’m pretty exhausted and punchy right now and I’m also venting. TLDR: Keep praying for us but stop using our personal tragedies to push your agenda right now. Especially because most of it is false. Also, not a lib. Just really tired & really tired of politicians right now.
Imagine how much better it could be if the current regime was focusing on the NC, TN, SC, FL, GA instead of Ukraine and Israel. The feds just sent 700 TN guardsmen to Kuwait. You wouldn't be nearly as tired if they were in Asheville.
Nevermind you couldn't possibly understand.
 
Imagine how much better it could be if the current regime was focusing on the NC, TN, SC, FL, GA instead of Ukraine and Israel. The feds just sent 700 TN guardsmen to Kuwait. You wouldn't be nearly as tired if they were in Asheville.
Nevermind you couldn't possibly understand.
In this case you’re a dick for this comment.

He’s searching for bodies but you know better…you don’t seem to grasp the sentiment of what he’s saying
 
Yeah it was being a dick. But it is still the truth. He took the time to find a place with web service to bust balls about politics?
While you’re sitting at work or home finding time to be a dick. People deserve breaks to relax for a few minutes, they fuck up, get people hurt, or miss things when they don’t.

Some of yall are getting as bad as the left reacting with feelings instead of logic.

Drive over there and help since you know so much, or shut the fuck up
 
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So it was "true" but the delivery sucked?
There's alot of shit you're doc doesn't always tell you right away.
(There's a time and a place but its not always in the ICU)

That doesn't mean you shouldn't engage your doc/patient,
but you need to find the time/place for it.

I think the docs call this bedside manners.
 
There's alot of shit you're doc doesn't always tell you right away.
(There's a time and a place but its not always in the ICU)

That doesn't mean you shouldn't engage your doc/patient,
but you need to find the time/place for it.

I think the docs call this bedside manners.
The dude hasn't posted here in three years. In the middle of natural disaster, where he claims to be over worked/ tired and grumpy, he decided to log into the Bear Pit and wag his finger about politics.

Me thinks that someone is being played for a sucker. Don't be surprised if he PM's you some chain letters to forward to your contact list.
 
sorry to those that would rather not see this stuff...but i am curious what they are spending money on...
according to fema, the avg grant for disaster recovery is ~$3000.
somebody that lost everything in helene posted that fema came back with $2600 for the house and all his belongings.


 
sorry to those that would rather not see this stuff...but i am curious what they are spending money on...
according to fema, the avg grant for disaster recovery is ~$3000.
somebody that lost everything in helene posted that fema came back with $2600 for the house and all his belongings.



They are paying the Pravda. In the little bit of college football I watched on Saturday there were multiple covid jab commercials. Did the taxpayers pay for those or big pharma with taxpayers money?
 
sorry to those that would rather not see this stuff...but i am curious what they are spending money on...
according to fema, the avg grant for disaster recovery is ~$3000.
somebody that lost everything in helene posted that fema came back with $2600 for the house and all his belongings.



I had to read that last part twice. 4 billion. For covid-19. In September of 2024. Holy cow batman.
 
I’ve been doing some searching, trying to find what supplies I could donate that are most needed/critical right now? Not really coming up with specific information.

I’m thinking cases of water, personal hygiene items, clothes, blankets??

A brother of mine is heading out from Texas in a couple days to take a load of stuff, and I want to send some useful stuff.
 
I’ve been doing some searching, trying to find what supplies I could donate that are most needed/critical right now? Not really coming up with specific information.

I’m thinking cases of water, personal hygiene items, clothes, blankets??

A brother of mine is heading out from Texas in a couple days to take a load of stuff, and I want to send some useful stuff.
My guess right now is clothes, especially warm clothes. Night time temps will be going down into the low 40's-upper 30's this week and next. We worked with a local group to send a bunch of "gently used" warm clothes up, we personally donated a medium size SUV full. We got a report back that people actually cried when they opened the truck and saw what was sent. A lot of people have lost everything, and even if they have found a place to stay they only had the (probably wet) clothes on their back.
 
This hurricane is nearing the mathematical limit of what Earth's atmosphere over this ocean water can produce.




Meanwhile another war in ME

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Thank you to those who are helping through Red Truck Men. It means a lot.

Seems like an Excellent group.
Will make a donation shortly.

I would like something similar in my AO.
Something to work on.

Men of faith committed to bolstering one another’s faith and doing good for others.
 


For those up for a conspiracy: it would only take a loss of 27,000 Republican votes in North Carolina to get a KH The presidency. Milton and Helene both showed "odd" tracking behavior on radar, not to mention Congress was addressing how to handle a mass casualty incident days before Helene happens.

Are Helene and Milton a result of weather modification strategies to throw the election?
 

I have a couple of honest questions I need help with, no politics intended in this:

1. Article says "The SBA offers low-interest loans to businesses, homeowners, and renters affected by declared disasters. Its loan program provides affected homeowners with up to $500,000 to repair their primary residence, and up to $2 million for businesses to cover disaster-related losses." If everything is lost, how would they pay these loans back? If they were living at or below the poverty line, wouldn't taking these loans just cause them to have what little they are able to be rebuild just wind up being repossessed? And the other big question: if we are giving billions to other countries for humanitarian crises why is is necessary to burden our own people during their humanitarian crisis?

2. Article says "Biden said that FEMA will continue to perform its missions “within present funding levels” but urged Congress to provide additional resources. “Without additional funding, FEMA would be required to forego longer-term recovery activities in favor of meeting urgent needs,” the president stated." Im confused here as well. What is more urgent than assisting them? What else is FEMA doing that is literally more important? I know the whole immigration angle, but this seems like the administration is saying that all FEMA help is about to shut off in favor of "more important things".

Not looking for the usual Pit one dimensional sarcasm, but something that is tangible. Because I haven't seen anything that nears a good reason.
 
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I have a couple of honest questions I need help with, no politics intended in this:

1. Article says "The SBA offers low-interest loans to businesses, homeowners, and renters affected by declared disasters. Its loan program provides affected homeowners with up to $500,000 to repair their primary residence, and up to $2 million for businesses to cover disaster-related losses." If everything is lost, how would they pay these loans back? If they were living at or below the poverty line, wouldn't taking these loans just cause them to have what little they are able to be rebuild just wind up being repossessed? And the other big question: if we are giving billions to other countries for humanitarian crises why is is necessary to burden our own people during their humanitarian crisis?

2. Article says "Biden said that FEMA will continue to perform its missions “within present funding levels” but urged Congress to provide additional resources. “Without additional funding, FEMA would be required to forego longer-term recovery activities in favor of meeting urgent needs,” the president stated." Im confused here as well. What is more urgent than assisting them? What else is FEMA doing that is literally more important? I know the whole immigration angle, but this seems like the administration is saying that all FEMA help is about to shut off in favor of "more important things".

Not looking for the usual Pit one dimensional sarcasm, but something that is tangible. Because I haven't seen anything that nears a good reason.
If you just stand out handing out $500k cash checks...its basically going to be an untraceable fraud/money laundering factory etc in like 30 seconds.
 
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If you just stand out handing out $500k cash checks...its basically going to be an untraceable fraud/money laundering factory etc in like 30 seconds.
For sure, 100%. I'm not talking about doing something as unwise as that, each application would have to be vetted. But the fraud argument dies when we look at the amount of shenanigans that went on with the Covid PPP and other loans.