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U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz ripped President Joe Biden and his administration for sitting on their hands while “people are dying” in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

The Florida Republican and combat-decorated Green Beret tore into the slow response from the federal government and the head-scratching silence in giving authorization for helicopters at a nearby military base in North Carolina to be used in rescue and supply efforts.

“Civilian volunteers like @CoryMillsFL are paying out of pocket to help save lives in North Carolina,” Waltz wrote in a post on X accompanied by his interview on Fox News.

“Nearby Fort Bragg (Liberty) has DOZENS of helicopters, field hospitals, water trucks, etc ready for humanitarian relief but the Pentagon hasn’t told them to go help,” he added, “Why?”

“People are dying,” Waltz said on Fox News. “They’re running out of oxygen, medicine, the supplies that they need, water. This is very serious.”

“Why haven’t they got the go-ahead from the Pentagon to get up there?” he asked. “These are active-duty helicopters that could be up there right now saving lives.”

Waltz is not alone in sounding the alarm and countless videos are being posted on social media with heart-wrenching stories of survival and the obstacles faced by those trying to help.

One active duty U.S. Army member on TikTok posted videos explaining the difficulty in reaching people in the mountain areas while also relaying her frustrations with the government red tape that is preventing the military from helping.

@breonabryant #appilachianmountains #fypシ゚viral #westernnc #fypシ゚viralvideo #relatablecontent #lakelure #hurrican #fypシ゚viral #fypシ #fypシ゚ #notthcarolina #landslide #mudslide ♬ original sound – Breona

“People are asking why don’t we use animals or 4 wheelers and stuff like that. They have to approve whatever, that they have to approve it before we’re able to do it. Does that make any sense? If they don’t approve it, we cannot do it,” she said.

“There’s a chain of command. We can only do so much that we can only do what we’re allowed to do. Does that make any sense?” she asked. “We can’t do it. So I think y’all need to understand that we’re only doing what we’re allowed to do and what we’re told to do. We cannot do anything other than that. Or the consequences will vary.”

Bryant appears to be correct about civilians getting involved in rescue efforts since the federal government is dragging its feet. A South Carolina pilot recounted his multiple rescue missions and how he was finally ordered by a local fire chief to halt his activities or face arrest. Former law enforcement officer turned volunteer pilot, Jordan Seidhom, recounted to Queen City News how he returned to the Lake Lure area for more rescue attempts but had his operation shut down.

(Video Credit: Queen City News)

“I told him my background experience, law enforcement, firefighting, and pilot and he immediately started helping with coordination. He gave me radio frequencies to coordinate with them on, set up a landing area for me to come back with the other victim, and just basically started the rescue efforts; the policies and procedures that you would take coordinating with someone from an outside source or outside agency,” he said. “And in the middle of the whole conversation and them blocking the road off, I was greeted by the – at that time I didn’t know – but the Lake Lure fire chief, or assistant chief, maybe. And he shut down the whole operation.”

As reported, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced on Wednesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)  does not have enough funding to last through the remainder of the current hurricane season.

Other complaints noted that the federal agency is actually “in the way” of rescue operations.

Frieda Powers
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