As Hurricane Florence intensifies, FEMA Gears Up for Disaster Response

FEMA is ramping up preparations for Hurricane Florence as the storm approaches the Carolinas, reports USA Today . As of Monday evening, the agency had positioned more than 80,000 liters of water, 402,000 meals, 1,200 cots, and 34 generators at Fort Bragg near Fayetteville, NC. In addition, both Fort Bragg and North Field Air Base near Columbia, SC, are serving as "incident support bases" to distribute more supplies, including meals, water, and blankets, when needed. FEMA teams have also been sent to both states to serve as rapidly deployable assets, with expertise in operations, logistics, planning, and recovery. "Because FEMA and the federal government were simply unprepared for Hurricane Maria, thousands of our fellow American citizens have perished — and we now know that the poor and older adults were the most at risk," said Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), ranking member of the House Committee on Homeland Security.