FEMA medics fled Hurricane Helene relief zone as militias, rumors sparked chaos

In the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Helene, a state medical team and FEMA contractors abruptly evacuated a remote clinic in Yancey County, North Carolina — not because of the storm, but due to rising fears of violence.

After dark on October 12, 2024, medics at a church-turned-field-clinic were approached by unidentified men asking where they slept, one wearing a shirt linked to an armed civilian disaster group. Rumors of snipers, threats from militia members, and the arrest of an armed man targeting FEMA nearby forced state officials in Raleigh to pull the team out overnight, leaving behind confused local partners and a vulnerable, cut-off community.

The evacuation, reported for the first time by Raw Story, highlights how misinformation and anti-government sentiment disrupted emergency efforts in a region already devastated by flooding and isolation. Local responders say trust was shattered when the medical team disappeared without warning — after treating patients, landing helicopters, and coordinating with community leaders.

The state’s decision to stay quiet about the retreat may have avoided public panic, but it also left behind a growing sense of abandonment — and questions about who really holds power in America’s disaster zones.

Read the full story by Jordan Green, Raw Story investigative reporter.