No, FEMA isn’t 'confiscating' emergency supplies, donations (2024)

As the Federal Emergency Management Agency responds to Hurricane Helene’s deadly impacts and braces for Hurricane Milton to hit Florida, some social media users amplified baseless falsehoods about FEMA stealing disaster supplies.

In a video shared Oct. 2 on Facebook, Jeremy Herrell, the host of Live From America TV, a conservative media website said: "FEMA, that now has jurisdiction in a lot of these areas, is literally confiscating donations and relief materials," listing items like first aid kits, food and water.

(Screenshot from Facebook)

On Threads, a user claimed that a friend in a disaster-stricken community in Tennessee told them that FEMA and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency were "out here confiscating supplies from community donation centers."

"I'm trying to share it bc this is what is *actually* happening and it will never ever be reported so it must be spread!" the poster wrote Oct. 4, using an abbreviation for "because."

(Screenshot from Threads)

These posts were flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads.)

FEMA is not "confiscating" emergency supplies or donations meant for Hurricane Helene survivors. Officials from FEMA and local leaders in states like Tennessee and North Carolina have denied these claims, warning that they impede disaster relief.

FEMA officials deny claims, warn they hinder disaster response

FEMA Press Secretary Daniel Llargues told PolitiFact that claims about FEMA confiscating emergency supplies are false.

"We bring commodities to the state," Llargues said. "We hand them over to the state," and the state distributes them.

In North Carolina, for example, Llargues said FEMA delivered supplies to Raleigh, North Carolina, and then groups including the North Carolina Air National Guard moved them to the state’s western end.

"But FEMA taking, confiscating the supplies — that’s another rumor" without any factual basis, he said.

On Oct. 6, ABC News’ "This Week" host George Stephanopoulos said the falsehoods about FEMA have prompted online attacks on the agency, such as one social media post that said "a militia should go against FEMA."

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told Stephanopoulos such attacks have been harmful and demoralizing to FEMA staff, but also to first responders and local staff and volunteers.

"It has a tremendous impact on the comfort level of our own employees to be able to go out there," she said. "When you have this dangerous rhetoric like you’re hearing, it creates fear in our own employees, and we need to make sure we’re getting help to the people who need it."

FEMA also addressed this falsehood on its "Rumor Response" page.

Featured Fact-check

Social Media

stated on October 4, 2024 in social media posts

FEMA, FAA are “blocking” delivery of Starlink devices and supplies to North Carolina’s hurricane-hit areas.

"FEMA does not take donations and/or food from survivors or voluntary organizations," the agency wrote. "Donations of food, water, or other goods are handled by voluntary agencies who specialize in storing, sorting, cleaning, and distributing donated items."

Workers helping with cleanup efforts stop for lunch under the shade of a tree Oct. 5, 2024, as a building destroyed by Hurricane Helene is seen in the background in Newport, Tennessee. (AP)

Local leaders say supplies are not being ‘confiscated’

During an Oct. 3 media briefing, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, was asked about rumors that FEMA, the Red Cross, or the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency funds were turned away.

"That’s totally inaccurate," Lee said. "There’s a lot of misinformation — in fact, there’s some belief and understanding that it may be coming from foreign sources just to confuse on the ground what’s happening here. There’s no confiscation of supplies or of products coming in by FEMA or TEMA."

In X posts, Knox County, Tennessee, Mayor Glenn Jacobs, another Republican, acknowledged frustration with FEMA and also encouraged people to "pitch in to help" without spreading misinformation about the emergency.

"To my knowledge, FEMA, TEMA, nor anyone else is confiscating supplies," Jacobs wrote in an Oct. 4 X post. "Please quit spreading those rumors as they are counterproductive to response efforts."

Two things:
1) To my knowledge, FEMA, TEMA, nor anyone else is confiscating supplies. Please quit spreading those rumors as they are counterproductive to response efforts.
2) If everyone could maybe please put aside the hate for a bit and pitch in to help, that would be great.

— Glenn Jacobs (@GlennJacobsTN) October 4, 2024

North Carolina’s Department of Public Safety also created a "Hurricane Helene: Fact vs. Rumor" webpage, where it addressed the "rumor" that the state was "discouraging donations in the wake of Hurricane Helene" and "physical donations are being confiscated by state and federal officials."

The page said North Carolina encourages financial donations and is "working with these organizations to stand up logistical operations to coordinate the collection and distribution of countless physical donations from across the state and country."

"Donations are not being confiscated by state and federal officials," it said.

In a video on that page, Justin Granny, a North Carolina Emergency Management spokesperson, said misinformation can spread quickly on social media.

"If you see something alarming, pause and verify it through a trusted source of information before you share it," he said. "The last thing we want to do is spread confusion during an already stressful time."

This falsehood also circulated during previous disasters, including after Hawaii’s destructive and deadly 2023 Maui wildfires.

Our ruling

Facebook posts claimed FEMA "is confiscating supplies and donations" meant for Hurricane Helene survivors.

FEMA officials and local and state leaders in Tennessee and North Carolina said these statements are baseless. FEMA delivers supplies and donations to states; the states and state-designated groups deliver the supplies.

We rate these claims False.

RELATED: FEMA gives $750 to help hurricane victims with supplies. The claim it’s a loan is Pants on Fire!

RELATED: Claims about FEMA, Red Cross ‘confiscating’ donations to Hawaii victims are False

• 

  

  Social Media

  stated on October 4, 2024 in social media posts:

  FEMA, FAA are “blocking” delivery of Starlink devices and supplies to North Carolina’s hurricane-hit areas.

  

  

• 

  

  Social Media

  stated on September 29, 2024 in a post:

  Hurricane Helene was planned to seize land in North Carolina for lithium mining.

  

  

• 

  

  Eric Hovde

  stated on October 3, 2024 in X, formerly Twitter:

  "FEMA is out of money and doesn't have money to transfer to those people affected by the hurricane ... they used the money to assist illegal immigrants."

  

  

• 

  

  Instagram posts

  stated on October 6, 2024 in an Instagram post:

  “Out of the 28 North Carolina counties destroyed by Hurricane Helene, 26 of them supported President Trump in the 2020 election … If you’re wondering why the government hasn’t helped these people, now you know why.”

  

  

• 

  

  Instagram posts

  stated on October 6, 2024 in Instagram posts:

  Video shows Oct. 6, 2024, fires in Beirut caused by Israeli air strikes.

  

  

• 

  

  X posts

  stated on September 28, 2024 in una publicación en X:

  “Kamala Harris permitió la entrada a Estados Unidos de 13.000 extranjeros ilegales condenados por asesinato".

  

  

• 

  

  Instagram posts

  stated on October 6, 2024 in an Instagram post:

  FEMA “blocked a runway” at a South Carolina airport and “halted” hurricane relief flights.

  

  

• 

  

  Viral image

  stated on October 2, 2024 in a Facebook post:

  Dockworkers went on strike because “they hear screaming children inside shipping containers!”

  

  

• 

  

  Facebook posts

  stated on October 4, 2024 in a post:

  “Breaking: Kansas City Chiefs refuse to host a Pride Night, ‘It’s woke agenda’”

  

  

• 

  

  New Hampshire Democratic Party

  stated on September 27, 2024 in an ad:

  When New Hampshire gubernatorial nominee Kelly Ayotte served on two companies’ boards, one “laid off 18,000 workers” and the other “laid off 1,200 American workers, moving jobs overseas.”