The Vice President of the United Cajun Navy, Brian Trascher, discusses effective disaster response and the problems with FEMA.
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What should the federal government do in a disaster?
Two major hurricanes made landfall within two weeks, devastating the southeast. Hurricane Helene has killed more than 200 people, and more than 90 are still missing in North Carolina, where overflowing rivers and tributaries flooded the western part of the state. More than 9,000 remain without power.
Hurricane Milton grew to Category 5 status in the Gulf before hitting Florida's west coast just south of Tampa Bay as a Category 3. It caused at least 23 deaths, and both storms are likely to cause over $100 billion in economic damage.
Today's guest is part of an organization that's been on the ground in both places helping with disaster relief. Brian Trascher is the vice president of the United Cajun Navy, a volunteer organization that started in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina.
Trascher discusses the origins of the Cajun Navy after Hurricane Katrina, conditions on the ground in North Carolina and Florida, the federal government's response, growing distrust of FEMA, and how to better prepare for disaster.
Sources Referenced:
ABC News: Hurricane Helene updates https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/hurricane-helene/?id=113931821
Forbes: Nearly 100 Still Missing In North Carolina After Hurricane Helene https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/10/15/nearly-100-still-missing-in-north-carolina-after-hurricane-helene/
North Carolina Power Outages Map https://poweroutage.us/area/state/north%20carolina
Fox Weather: Florida's resilience tested as Milton death toll stands at 23 https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/hurricane-milton-power-outages-storm-recovery
Accuweather: Hurricane Milton by the numbers https://www.accuweather.com/en/hurricane/deadly-and-destructive-hurricane-milton-by-the-numbers/1702670
FreeThink documentary about the United Cajun Navy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0akHhoK5mE
Department of Homeland Security: FEMA's Inadequate Oversight Led to Delays in Closing Out Declared Disasters https://www.oig.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/assets/2024-08/OIG-24-45-Aug24.pdf#:~:text=The%20Federal%20Emergency%20Management%20Agency%20(FEMA)%20did%20not%20ensure%20that
FEMA's September 2024 Disaster Relief Fund Report https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_ocfo-september2024disasterrelieffundreport.pdf
Stars and Stripes: "The National Guard's report of "armed militia" out "hunting FEMA" prompts the relocation of North Carolina hurricane recovery officials." https://x.com/starsandstripes/status/1845615506260365577
United Cajun Navy's response to the article above. https://x.com/Unitedcajunnavy/status/1845654684989538577
North Carolina National Guard helicopter video https://x.com/DefiyantlyFree/status/1843271937348575477
North Carolina National Guard's response to the helicopter video https://x.com/NCNationalGuard/status/1843780451229675632
Photo of electric chainsaws provided by the government https://x.com/M_C_Masters/status/1843657230786408639
Text of the Stafford Act https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-2977/pdf/COMPS-2977.pdf
Chapters
00:00 Coming up…
00:10 Introduction
01:28 Documentary clip about the United Cajun Navy
02:25 What's the status of North Carolina?
05:29 United Cajun Navy's origin story
10:36 Comparing Hurricanes Helene and Milton
15:12 How are resources allocated properly?
18:25 When to evacuate and why some people don't
23:08 What's it like to deal with FEMA on the ground?
29:23 Did a national guard helicopter purposefully sabotage volunteer efforts?
38:23 Do government workers get defensive about volunteer help?
43:04 Why do people distrust FEMA?
57:38 FEMA's budgeting problems
1:02:42 The Stafford Act
1:08:26 How should people prepare for disaster?
1:10:24 What question should people be asking?
Photo credit: Travis Long/TNS/Newscom