FEMA makes "operational adjustments" in hurricane response as threats spike

• There's been a surge in threats following mis- and disinformation on the federal response to Hurricane Helene.

Context: Conspiracy theories rapidly spread online about aid to communities hit hard by the storm, some of which were amplified by former President Trump.

• FEMA warned last week that the falsehoods significantly impeded response efforts to hurricanes Helene and Milton.
• Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters there had been "horrific hate speech of all types propagated on online platforms" that served as "a motivating force for people to do harm."

State of play: FEMA's search and rescue efforts are continuing, but Axios understands that disaster survivor assistance teams have been working at fixed locations and secure areas instead of going door to door as a precaution while the agency assesses potential threat information.

• The agency is continuing to monitor threat information and make adjustments on a regular basis in coordination with local officials.

Zoom in: Ashe County Emergency Management in Jefferson, N.C., noted on Facebook Sunday that FEMA staff would not be in Lansing or Riverview to accept assistance applications on Sunday.

• "It is our understanding that all FEMA reps in NC were stood down due to threats occurring in some counties (not Ashe) but we have not received any official correspondence on this issue from FEMA," per the post.
• It said in a later post that FEMA staff would be in those locations on Monday.
• The Washington Post first reported Sunday that FEMA had "advised all federal responders" in Rutherford County, N.C., south of Ashe County, to "stand down" due to threats.

What they're saying: "FEMA continues to support communities impacted by Helene and help survivors apply for assistance," an agency spokesperson said in an emailed statement Sunday.

• "For the safety of our dedicated staff and the disaster survivors we are helping, FEMA has made some operational adjustments," the spokesperson added.
• "Disaster Recovery Centers will continue to be open as scheduled, survivors continue to register for assistance, and we continue to help the people of North Carolina with their recovery."

Between the lines: FEMA workers and public officials have "faced a deluge of antisemitic hate and threats in the wake of Hurricane Helene," per a report out last week from nonprofit the Institute for Strategic Dialogue.

• Analysts discovered 33 posts on X "containing claims debunked by FEMA, the White House and the US government had together generated more than 160 million views" as of Oct. 7, the report found.
• Some 30% of these posts "contained overt antisemitic hate, including abuse directed at public officials such as the Mayor of Asheville, North Carolina; the FEMA Director of Public Affairs; and the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security," per the report.
• "Falsehoods around hurricane response have spawned credible threats and incitement to violence directed at the federal government — this includes calls to send militias to face down FEMA for the perceived denial of aid, and that individuals would 'shoot' FEMA officials and the agency's emergency responders."

More from Axios:

• Meteorologists battle conspiracy theories amid devastating storms
• Scoop: House Democrats plead with tech platforms for hurricane misinformation crackdown

Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.