What we know about FEMA efforts in North Carolina after reported threats lead to an arrest

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has resumed neighborhood outreaches in some parts of areas afflicted by Hurricane Helene, and one man has been arrested and accused of making a threat.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has resumed door-to-door neighborhood outreaches in some areas afflicted by Hurricane Helene as one man is accused of making a threat against its employees. Amid reports of militia involvement, the agency told CNN it was the subject of several threats and the alleged threat from the man later arrested was the main one it was aware of when it decided to pull back on outreach. “I wanted to make sure we protected our staff on the ground while we worked diligently with local law enforcement to understand the full situation,” FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said. “The threat was more limited than initially reported and mitigated by law enforcement,” FEMA said Monday. A former FEMA administrator told CNN threats in the field have been rare in the past. “This is unprecedented. I know we’ve had individuals but not an area or a group that’s threatening FEMA,” said Craig Fugate, who was the agency’s head from 2009 to 2017. FEMA has approved more than $96 million for 75,000 households in North Carolina, part of the $507 million approved for residents and communities in states hit by Helene and Hurricane Milton, the agency also announced Monday.