Private citizens who have been completing rescue missions in the Carolinas were told to stand down on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Jonathan Howard flew up from Florida on Sunday with the FL National Guard Special Unit and private entities like Aerial Recovery. Howard posted an update of their efforts through a video on Tuesday
Howard stated that the mainstream media and government officials have claimed that his team’s rescues of an 11 day old baby was “government assistance” when it was him and a handful of civilians.
“When I’m up in the air, I might see 40 civilians helicopters and might see 2 blackhawks/national guard/military whoever they are. That’s it. No one’s out there doing rescues. I have my entire team from Florida up here right now and they have no ability to rescue these people other than what they can drive to. People that are in dire need are out in the mountains, they’re completely cut off.”
Howard explains how the government would not allow CNN to take photos of Lake Lure and the damage to the dam and surrounding areas: “They’re not even allowing people to see what is going on…I don’t know why they don’t want to show y’all…”
Jonathan goes on to explain that they were told to stand down when they arrived earlier this week: “When I flew in here on Sunday they actually stopped us from going in, it was the sheriff’s department. It was because of a bunch of politics…”
“Everyone wants to pretend like they are being the hero when these people are f****** dying in the mountains…these people are dying and no one is trying to get them.”
Red Tape Prevents Rescues & Supply Delivery
Howard spoke to the national guard at the Asheville airport who said they can’t go help because they are waiting on Title 10 orders. “There are military helicopters all over sitting on the ground. They can’t do nothing [sic].”
A US Army soldier named Breona Bryant posted a video on Tuesday where she stated that the only way into the affected areas are by flight. She stated that the military only has about 10 helicopters: “There are certain things I can and cannot say just because [points at uniform] but take that into account. There’s a lot of people missing…its been a couple of days, people are without food and without water, I think you can only go two days without water and that is if you are healthy.”
Tim Kennedy from Save Our Allies said in a video that he tried to check victims they had rescued into a hotel but was turned away because the entire hotel had been booked for federal agents.
A Tennessee man with thermal drones and supplies was also told to stand down. In a video that was posted on Monday, he names several citizens who have supplies, generators, and crews in the area that are being told to stand down for no apparent reason: “There are videos of people fighting for water that is coming off of these trucks…it is destroying to one’s core and heart to watch people…be put in a situation like this to fight for food and their life.”
On Wednesday, over Ham radio, Black Mountain Local Government told responders not to bring anything and that they were waiting on on federal assistance. The person describes another time when he tried to drop off supplies and was told to “take it to a federal FEMA camp and they would organize it for distribution.” One of the individuals over the radio said in response: “that’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard.”
This Isn’t the First Time
Ryan Tyre from X/Twitter said that this is not the first time the government has cut off aid from hurricane victims. He shared his story from the Florida Keys after Hurricane Irma when he responded with his team as private citizens to bring supplies to the area and were told several times not to off-load the semi-trucks full of food and water:
“THE REASON they gave us, was that these donations were not from companies on their “preferred vendors’ list” and that they would not accept them or give them to the residents of the Keys impacted by the storm. It was at that point that I realized, this is ALL ABOUT MONEY. These “preferred vendors” are getting part of the money being released by the state and federal government for each disaster. In turn, some of the “vendors” make it on the list because a friend gets them on the list, and in return for getting ridiculously outlandish amounts of compensation for the services they render, they give kickbacks.”
As the only team that had arrived with supplies, Tyre stated that he and his team ignored these orders and unloaded supplies at a resort where they decided to establish a food pantry.
NC Emergency Management Orders Coordination
This confirms what is happening in North Carolina. The North Carolina Emergency Management released a graphic ordering all individuals who “plan to move people, resources, or equipment into western North Carolina…MUST coordinate plans and movements through NCEM-BEOC.” The graphic states that “there is a high likelihood that your team(s) will be turned away at various checkpoints.”
Mayorkas: Government Does Not Have Funds For The Next Expected Hurricane
On Wednesday, BBC reported that the Secretary of Homeland Security says that FEMA does not have funds for another hurricane hitting.
“We are meeting the immediate needs with the money that we have, we are expecting another hurricane hitting [sic]. We do not have the funds. FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) does not have the funds to make it through the season,” Alejandro Mayorkas says.
While FEMA has made barely an appearance in affected areas other than blocking and confiscated supplies, they somehow are already calling for more money. Just last week, the Federal Government gave over $8.7 billion to Israel and $2.4 billion to Ukraine. Yet, the Southeast receives nothing but interference from government agencies and organizations partnered with the government.
What You Can Do
I urge you to be very careful to where you send your money and help. It is clear that many supplies are going to FEMA, where they are just sitting and not being used. If you want to support, contact individuals/organizations who are making trips to the affected areas and completing rescues independently. DO NOT support large organizations tied to or partnered with FEMA and the government.
Jonathan Howard has asked for donations to be given to Aerial Recovery, a group of private citizens who are using their own money, equipment, and helicopters to rescue victims in the Carolinas. Some local churches are setting up donation drives that will be delivered to local churches in devastated areas like this one in Batesburg-Leesville.
There are hundreds of videos and accounts speaking of the government failures and consist government interference of rescues and attempted aid taking place. Those referenced in this article are just a couple of accounts that have gone viral. These cries for help are going unnoticed by the majority of mainstream media as the focus continues to stay on government intervention in the middle east. The government and associated organizations are willingly prolonging the suffering and causing more deaths with willful interference and confiscation of supplies. It is up to us to make sure the victims of Hurricane Helene get the help they need.
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