FEMA

Utility poles and lines hang over downtown Mount Pleasant, N.C.

Loss of FEMA program spells disaster for hundreds of communities and their projects

11:41am April 28, 2025

by Jack Brook, Associated Press/Report for America

The textile mills that once served as the backbone of Mount Pleasant, North Carolina, have long been shuttered, and officials believed federal money would be key to the town's overdue revitalizatio

Storm Helene Causes Massive Flooding Across Swath Of Western North Carolina

Trump wants states to handle disasters. States aren't prepared

4:08pm March 21, 2025

President Trump says he's thinking of getting rid of the country's disaster response agency, FEMA. States say they can't replicate what FEMA does on their own.

Politics & Government

NC lawmaker proposes bill aiming to make political discrimination in disaster relief a felony

1:38pm March 19, 2025

by Adam Wagner, NC Newsroom

A North Carolina Republican state lawmaker wants to make sure disaster assistance cannot be denied to people based on their political affiliation.

Politics & Government

FEMA extends Helene assistance deadline at request of Gov. Stein

2:16pm March 10, 2025

by DJ Simmons

Homeowners and renters with uninsured losses from the storm may be eligible to apply for FEMA assistance.

What the firings at FEMA could mean for the next hurricane or wildfire

4:11am February 21, 2025

by Steve Inskeep

The Trump administration has fired several hundred employees at FEMA. When it comes to helping disaster victims on the ground, the agency was already hundreds of people short.

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Exclusive: Trump administration drops work on stronger building codes for disasters

5:05pm February 20, 2025

To help homes survive more intense disasters, FEMA has been developing recommendations for stronger building codes. The Trump Administration has pulled them back.

Politics & Government

Some in Hurricane Helene-ravaged North Carolina embrace Trump's push to abolish FEMA

12:26pm February 17, 2025

by Makiya Seminera, Associated Press

Frustration with stopgap relief efforts has been exacerbated by confusion over where long-term help should come from. FEMA is meant to be a first line, providing temporary housing and funding for repairs while insurance foots most of the bill. It is not the message residents heard initially, when politicians, including then-President Joe Biden, who toured the damaged area, promised residents they would have whatever they needed.

President Donald Trump, with first lady Melania Trump and Franklin Graham, left, meet with homeowners affected by Hurricane Helene

Politics & Government

Trump proposes 'getting rid of FEMA' while visiting North Carolina

1:48pm January 24, 2025

by Will Weissert, Chris Megerian and Makiya Seminera, Associated Press

President Donald Trump said he was considering “getting rid of” the Federal Emergency Management Agency during a trip to disaster zones Friday, offering the latest sign of how he is weighing sweeping changes to the nation's central organization for responding to disasters.

A photo of Legal Aid of North Carolina staff at a clinic

Legal Aid of North Carolina to host free clinics for disaster relief for those impacted by Helene

4:01pm January 16, 2025

by DJ Simmons

Attorneys will be available to help those seeking assistance with landlords, banks and government agencies among other things.

National

FEMA's administrator says more than 24,000 in LA have applied for assistance

8:47am January 12, 2025

by Ayesha Rascoe

"People have lost everything," says FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell. More than 24,000 have already applied for assistance from FEMA, but Criswell says that number is certain to rise.

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