FL State Guardsman on the ground in NC slams government response to Helene: 'Complete failure of leadership'

Everything is not arsenic it seems, Florida State Guardsman Jonathan Howard told Fox News viewers of Hurricane Helene betterment efforts, accusing galore successful the mainstream media and a fig of politicians, particularly President Biden, of coating a rosier representation of the government's effect than reality.

"He tin instrumentality his $750, it's a joke…" Howard said Saturday, referencing rumors that FEMA volition supply tempest victims with nary much than $750 to enactment their recovery, arsenic helium responded to a caller video of Biden claiming those displaced by Helene are "getting everything they need, and they're precise blessed crossed the board."

"These radical are trapped successful the mountains. What are they going to do? Order something? There's nary mode for it to adjacent beryllium delivered to their house… [it's a] implicit nonaccomplishment of leadership. Everything comes down to leadership, and determination is nary enactment here. There is nary bid and control. No 1 has a hint what's going on," helium continued.

FEMA denies claims that tempest victims volition beryllium constricted to $750 successful aid.

SPEAKER JOHNSON RIPS ‘LACK OF LEADERSHIP’ IN BIDEN ADMIN'S HELENE RESPONSE: ‘ALARMED AND DISAPPOINTED’

A destroyed location successful the aftermath of Hurricane Helene connected September 30, 2024, adjacent Fairview, North Carolina. Local residents accidental determination are aggregate deaths and missing persons successful the country owed to the storm, according to published reports.  (Sean Rayford)

The agency's website explains of the aid, "This is simply a benignant of assistance that you whitethorn beryllium approved for soon aft you apply, called Serious Needs Assistance. It is an upfront, flexible outgo to assistance screen indispensable items similar food, water, babe formula, breastfeeding supplies, medicine and different exigency supplies. There are different forms of assistance that you whitethorn suffice for to receive and Serious Needs Assistance is an archetypal outgo you whitethorn person portion FEMA assesses your eligibility for further funds."

"As your exertion continues to beryllium reviewed, you whitethorn inactive person further forms of assistance for different needs specified arsenic enactment for impermanent housing, idiosyncratic spot and location repair costs," the tract adds.

SAMARITAN'S PURSE CONTINUES HELENE RELIEF EFFORTS WITH THREE WATER FILTRATION SYSTEMS IN NORTH CAROLINA

Meanwhile, Biden's assertion that tempest victims are "getting everything they need" came successful effect to a newsman who asked, "What bash the states successful the tempest zone… what bash they request aft what you saw today?"

The president had conscionable returned from a sojourn to storm-battered states of Georgia and Florida, which proceed to look important powerfulness outages and harm from the storm.

Biden appeared to conflict to retrieve which tempest portion the newsman was discussing earlier responding.

Still slamming the government's effect to Helene, Howard told Kilmeade that backstage citizens are moving the amusement successful galore affected areas, and that enactment successful Florida handled the concern acold much efficaciously than successful different areas. 

Homes are seen successful the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, successful Chimney Rock Village, N.C.  (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

"I knew wherever my politician was earlier the hurricane, during the hurricane and after. Then helium really sent maine up present to assistance them hole their problems, but these radical person nary clue. There's conscionable there's nary bid present astatine all. Everything we're getting each of our accusation disconnected Facebook and backstage national groups."

He besides said helium was initially denied introduction erstwhile helium made his mode to North Carolina to assistance successful betterment efforts, though the blasted for the blockage was passed on by respective agencies. 

To adhd to the chaos, helium repeated others' commonly-made claims that getting assistance to others via chopper has been a situation arsenic well.

"I saw immoderate Air Force Blackhawks determination with a brace of rescue men. These guys are each rescue specializer paramedics. I went up to them, commencement talking to them, exchanging Intel, and they're like, 'We privation to spell fly, but we can't. We're waiting connected Title X orders,' and I was like, ‘What?’ And past I person truthful galore subject friends of excavation saying… they can't adjacent get authorization to travel here. And there's truthful galore subject here. I person Guardsmen, I person progressive duty. They're each messaging me. Pilot commanders of aviator divisions, chopper pilots. And they're like, ‘We cannot get authorization to spell there,’" helium said.

"That's what I privation radical to recognize – wherefore would the authorities not privation to nonstop these helicopters? Yes, I volition spot defender and a mates of progressive work birds. I mightiness spot 3 National Guard helicopters, and I'll spot 40 civilian helicopters doing rescues."

NORTH CAROLINA SENS. TILLS, BUDD CALL FOR MILITARY LEADER TO OVERSEE HURRICANE HELENE RESPONSE

The storm-ravaged Southeast continues its hunt for immoderate semblance of normalcy aft Hurricane Helene's torrential rains and precocious winds swept distant homes and communities, leaving an unprecedented fig of victims with obscurity near to turn.

Remote communities successful the mountainous areas affected by Helene person rendered galore incapable to marque interaction with the remainder of the world, and truthful person assistance – with roads and bridges severely damaged oregon washed away, fallen trees further obstructing alleviation efforts and powerfulness outages further complicating their quality to marque interaction with others.

With roads impassable by vehicles successful galore locations, immoderate teams person resorted to the old-fashioned mode of transporting much-needed supplies into isolated areas by utilizing mules and horses.

Those displaced by Helene inactive request donations of indispensable supplies similar canned goods, bottled water, clothing, babe and favored supplies, hygiene products, archetypal assistance materials, blankets and different items.

The White House and FEMA were contacted for comments, but neither replied successful clip for publication.

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