CNN
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A North Carolina man was arrested over the weekend for threatening to harm FEMA employees responding to Hurricane Helen, according to the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.
William Jacob Parsons, 44, was arrested and charged with terrorizing the public with a weapon, a misdemeanor, Capt. Jamie Keever said in a news release Monday.
“Parsons was armed with a handgun and a shotgun,” Keever said.
The sheriff’s office began an investigation Saturday after receiving a call that “an individual made comments about harming FEMA employees working in the Lake Lure and Chimney Rock area after the Hurricane Helen disaster.” Parsons was arrested after investigators received information about his vehicle’s color and license plate, Keever said.
Parsons is now free on a $10,000 secured bond, the sheriff’s office said.
Aid to several communities affected by Hurricane Helen was temporarily suspended over the weekend in parts of North Carolina amid misinformation about responses to the latest storms and reports of threats against responders by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Some FEMA teams helping disaster survivors in rural North Carolina apply for aid are now working in secure disaster recovery centers in counties where federal workers receive threats, a FEMA spokeswoman told CNN on Monday.
“For the safety of our dedicated employees and as we assist disaster survivors, FEMA has made some operational changes,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Disaster recovery centers will continue to open as planned, survivors will continue to register for assistance, and we will continue to assist the people of North Carolina in their recovery.”
On Saturday, FEMA workers had to stop their work in Rutherford County after National Guard troops saw “armed militants” threatening workers. CNN affiliate WBTV confirmed After FEMA reviews the messages sent to the contractor’s employees. The threats were first reported by the Washington Post.
In announcing Parsons’ arrest, Keever said. “It was determined that Parsons acted alone and that there were no truckloads of militants headed for Lake Lure.”
Rutherford County is southeast of the hard-hit Asheville area, and part of the mountain range suffered deadly flooding and mudslides as Helen carved a path of destruction through the southeast after making landfall in Florida last month. More than 100 people have been killed in North Carolina and thousands are struggling with catastrophic damage.
“We are aware of significant misinformation online and threats to responders on the ground and responder safety must be taken seriously,” said Jordan Monaghan, deputy communications director for North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. “As this recovery effort continues, the Governor has directed the Department of Public Safety to identify specific threats and rumors with local law enforcement and coordinate with FEMA and other partners to ensure safety and security.”
Some FEMA operations in Ashe County near the Tennessee and Virginia borders were suspended Sunday, out of an abundance of caution, Sheriff P. Bill Howell said. Facebook. That includes in-person requests for help in at least two locations “due to threats in some counties,” according to the county. Emergency Management Office. Those locations were reopened Monday, according to the sheriff and the Office of Emergency Management declared.
Howell asked residents to “stay calm and steady during our recovery, help people, please don’t stir the pot.”
Delays in FEMA’s in-person work, especially in western North Carolina’s complex terrain, can delay aid reaching those in need, former FEMA administrator Craig Fugate told CNN.
Disaster applicants can start the process online and receive partial assistance, but FEMA officials must see the damage in person to finalize the claim and get money into the hands of disaster survivors quickly.
“Eventually, they’re going to have to get inspectors out there, and that’s going to slow things down for people,” Fugate said. “Go to these areas and this is where people live, this is their home, and check the damage from the disaster.”
FEMA continues to assess potential threats to its employees in affected areas and the agency is coordinating with local authorities regarding the safety of its employees and will make future adjustments as needed, the spokeswoman said.
More than 1,200 FEMA employees are providing support in North Carolina as of Saturday, according to an update from the agency. More than 250 urban search and rescue personnel were on the ground and rescued or supported more than 3,200 survivors, the update said.
CNN previously reported that misinformation circulating about the federal government’s response to Hurricanes Helen and Milton was hampering storm response efforts. President Joe Biden last week requested information about the federal government’s digital response, including how officials correct misinformation, an administration official said.
“The contours of this disinformation are unlike anything we’ve seen before,” a senior Biden administration official told CNN.
Fugate said individual FEMA workers have received threats in the past, but to a very limited extent.
“In the field, it’s rare,” Fugate said. “This is unprecedented. We have individuals, but I know of no area or group that threatens FEMA.
Senior U.S. officials have instructed public affairs teams at federal agencies to increase social media posts from government accounts with photos illustrating how federal workers are clearing debris and providing aid.
Earlier this month, Rutherford County Public Information Officer Kerry Giles told CNN that they “deployed the resources that could have been used more effectively in the recovery efforts,” dispelling the rumors. Rutherford and surrounding counties are posting photos and information about their efforts to help fight misinformation.
CNN’s Arlette Saenz and Jalen Beckford contributed to this report.
This story has been updated with additional information.
