The recent claims made by Elon Musk on X, alleging that FEMA is blocking shipments and seizing goods intended for hurricane victims, has stirred up a storm of controversy. Musk shared that a SpaceX engineer on the ground in Asheville, NC reported that FEMA is not only failing to adequately assist those in need, but is actively obstructing efforts by citizens trying to help. The engineer explained that FEMA had been blocking shipments and locking away goods and services, claiming them as their own. In one instance, the engineer mentioned that Starlink shipments were being held up unless they received an escort from the fire department. This kind of bureaucratic red tape, whether intentional or due to sheer incompetence, is having real, deadly consequences.
The Current Disaster
Hurricane Helene, which made landfall a week ago, has already claimed the lives of at least 215 people, with over half of the fatalities occurring in North Carolina. Entire communities have been washed away by fast-moving water, leaving hundreds of people missing and local officials struggling to identify the dead. While the Biden administration has deployed 1,000 active-duty soldiers to support the National Guard in relief efforts, survivors in the hardest-hit areas still find themselves cut off from food, water, and essential services.
Is This About Politics?
Many are questioning the Biden administration’s response, especially in states like North Carolina, which lean conservative. The notion that the government might be intentionally withholding life-saving support to “punish” a red state ahead of the upcoming election is gaining traction. Is this just more political theater, or is something more nefarious at play? For those living in disaster zones, it doesn’t really matter whether it’s incompetence or something worse. The result is the same: people are left to fend for themselves in the face of unimaginable destruction.
Tim Kennedy, founder of the Save Our Allies foundation and a former Special Forces operator, has come forward with a scathing rebuke of the government’s response to disaster relief. He has exposed how bureaucratic red tape and outright incompetence have put countless lives at risk. Kennedy, who has spent years on the front lines of global humanitarian missions, isn’t holding back. He’s seen firsthand how government agencies have failed time and time again to deliver aid when it’s needed most, actively hindering civilian efforts to rescue and provide for those in desperate situations. His foundation has stepped up where the government has failed, cutting through the bullshit and getting aid directly into the hands of those who need it. According to Kennedy, these failures are not just incompetence—they are criminal, leaving people to die while the government plays politics with their lives.
Why You Must Be Prepared
This situation highlights a brutal truth: the government is not here to help you. Whether it’s incompetence, malice, or bureaucratic chaos, waiting on FEMA or other agencies during a disaster can be a death sentence. When disaster strikes, you are on your own, and you need to be ready to handle it.
This is why prepping isn’t some fringe, paranoid activity—it’s common sense. Help isn’t coming, at least not fast enough. You must be prepared to take care of yourself and your family when things go south. That means having an emergency action plan, food, water, medical supplies, and communication tools like ham radios ready to go.
The lesson here is clear: you cannot rely on the government. We’ve seen it time and time again, from Hurricane Katrina to Hurricane Sandy, and now with Hurricane Helene—officials are slow to respond, red tape ties up resources, and in some cases, relief efforts are outright obstructed.
What You Can Do Right Now
- Stockpile essential supplies: Don’t wait for disaster to strike. Start stockpiling food, water, and medical supplies to last at least two weeks, if not more.
- Get a Communication Plan in Place: Cell towers often fail during disasters, and FEMA won’t be there to fix them quickly. Equip yourself with alternatives like ham radios or satellite phones to stay connected. Learning how to use a ham radio is a critical skill in any survival situation. You can check out Prepper Radio: The No-BS Ham Radio Technician Exam Prep Guide for a step-by-step plan to get your ham radio license and start building your communication network.
- Develop self-reliance skills: Whether it’s learning how to purify water, defend your home, or create shelter, the more skills you have, the better equipped you’ll be to survive on your own.
The current crisis shows us just how fragile the system is, and if you’re not ready to take care of yourself, you’re putting your survival in someone else’s hands—hands that might be too busy filling out paperwork to help you when you need it most. Whether it’s incompetence or pure evil, you must be prepared, because when the storm comes, you’re on your own.
