Vice President JD Vance appears on Fox News Sunday to discuss current events and political intents for the Trump-Vance administration.

Starting with a pledge to make sure an efficient FEMA responds to the needs of California fire victims, Vance then moves on to discuss the border objective on day #1, the deportation agenda and the measures the Trump administration will take to shut down the open southern border.

Vance then moves to discussing the economic agenda and onto the objectives of the Trump administration to pardon January 6th detainees.  For those J6 protestors who committed “acts of violence,” there will be no sympathy.  However, for those who are incarcerated simply for walking through the Capitol building, pardons will be considered.  WATCH:

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UPDATE: We will continue bumping this thread to keep the communication lines available.

...”I live in the Western part of the US; reading these comments is like listening in on a (telephone) party line. This is the first I’ve heard firsthand live reports from the people directly affected. For the first time there is no canned, approved spoon fed mis-information delivered by the faceless and unaffected paid to be there.”….

Which is exactly the reason we keep this thread going!

As the areas in Eastern Tennessee, Western North Carolina and the Western gulf coast of Florida continue recovery operations from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, our thoughts are with those who are still impacted and dealing with the long-term recovery process.

If you have stability and the ability to communicate, we are wondering how you guys are doing.

Can we get a Standing Ovation for our hardworking Linemen? pic.twitter.com/jyP2hmbqub

— Still🏝️Roaming (@roaming_rn) October 17, 2024

Working with several ground groups, we have sent toolboxes and resources into the area for the arduous tasks that remain.  There are many who feel overwhelmed; just know our thoughts and deepest prayers remain with you. It will get a little better every day.

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has initiated an emergency fuel service in the central and western Florida regions impacted by Hurricane Milton.  Fuel is the lifeblood of all recovery efforts.

The program is for several areas to have tanker trucks that can pump directly to consumers.  Each resident who can go to the fuel distribution center will get 10 gallons of gasoline free, either in their gas cans or into their vehicle gas tank.   Distribution will be made in Port Charlotte, Pinellas, Sarasota and Hillsborough counties, with more on the way.

Additionally, 50 highway patrol vehicles have been assigned escort duty to assist fuel tankers getting quickly to gas stations in the needed areas.  There are a few videos below outlining the emergency distribution:

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Additionally, FEMA has extended the full reimbursement for debris removal to a 90-day window.  This will help municipal areas quickly get their contractors working to remove debris.

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Appearing in Bradenton, Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis discusses ongoing recovery efforts from the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.  There is plenty of fuel in the supply chain, the issue is that many gas stations may be waiting on power restoration.

Debris cleanup from both Helene and Milton is now being handed back to the municipal regions who are the first responders for debris removal.  For those unfamiliar, generally a hurricane creates 7 years’ worth of debris that needs to be cleared and removed.  FEMA underwrites the first 10 days and reimburses the local authorities for debris removal.

Full state DOT assessments have been completed for state roads and bridges. Power restoration continues. Governor DeSantis walks through the current state of recovery. WATCH:   

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis gives an update on state preparations for Hurricane Milton.  There is a strong state emphasis on fuel supplies and alternatives from Port of Tampa to ensure fuel is available.  This is a very prudent approach.

Emergency debris cleanup operations were able to remove approximately 50% of all roadside debris from hurricane Helene.  To give you an idea of scale, during each hurricane landfall event the average of debris created equals 7 years of cumulative debris.  Meaning, each hurricane creates 7 years of debris in the impact zone.  Getting that moved out quickly is a monumental task.  FEMA reimburses the municipal region for the first 10 days debris removal post storm; this reimbursement window provides the county with motivation to get it done fast.

34 search and rescue teams from around the country have joined in staging areas alongside Florida groups.  There are expected to be 50,000 linemen in place for electrical grid restoration; this is the largest grid recovery mobilization in history.  500 state police from outside Florida have arrived to help in law enforcement post storm.  I am critical of DeSantis and his always political crew around him; however, when it comes to emergency leadership Governor Ron DeSantis does a great job. WATCH:

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We will continue to monitor election events as well as national news events that are pertinent and continue posting articles.

I am also going to provide a link to livestreams below.  Clockwise from top left.  (1) Tampa Bay – rotating cam.  (2) Key West – the southernmost point closest to current storm. (3) Matlacha Bridge between Cape Coral and Pine Island. (4) Central Cape Coral amid one of the many canals.

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This is a little bit unusual, and I don’t generally recommend going to a bizarro leftist narrative article for full review; however, in this case it is worth it.

Politico has written an article about FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, saying disinformation about the federal government response to Hurricane Helene, “is absolutely the worst I have ever seen,” Criswell told reporters on a Tuesday morning call.  “It’s creating distrust in the federal government, but also the state government, and we have so many first responders that have been working to go out and help these communities,” she added. {link}

However, if you go read the article fraught with pearl-clutching and protestation, you might curiously discover there is not a single citation for any claimed “disinformation.”  {SEE HERE}  It is very odd to see FEMA and by extension Politico in their defense, claiming that massive disinformation is running rampant, and yet they do not cite a single example of the disinformation they claim to exist.   Seriously, no joke – GO LOOK.

If you are an intellectually honest observer of government, you are left with the question: where is this disinformation you speak of?

Most of the shared examples of FEMA’s failures have been with full citation, presented with factual information – raw source attribution and audio/visuals of FEMA officials on the ground in Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina to bolster the claims.  In short, all the claims against FEMA are specifically cited; however, all of the deflective justifications and denials are not.

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As anticipated, Tropical Storm Milton is now Hurricane Milton with top winds of 80 mph.  In the past 24 hrs., Milton slowed down a bit, wobbled a little south, and gained strength about a half-day earlier than predicted.   The probability cone shifted a little south and the center consensus is now just south of Tampa in the Sarasota area.

As mentioned last night, this storm is going to be unique in contrast of condition between the areas immediately North and South of the storm.  There are far too many variables for any accurate assessment at the moment; however, all interests should pay close attention.  As a result of the slowing, the prudent evacuation timeline has moved from Tuesday morning to Tuesday afternoon.

(NHC) – At 100 PM CDT (1800 UTC), the center of Hurricane Milton was located by an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft near latitude 22.5 North, longitude 94.0 West. Milton is moving toward the east near 6 mph (9 km/h), and this general motion is expected today. An eastward to east-northeastward motion is forecast on Monday, followed by a faster northeastward motion on Tuesday and Wednesday.

On the forecast track, Milton is forecast to move north of the Yucatan Peninsula and to move across the Gulf of Mexico and approach the west coast of the Florida Peninsula by midweek.

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Generally speaking, Day #8 follows a recovery psychology filled with determination provided by the key focus on fellowship.  Many impacted families cut-off from their traditional supply resources are now finding hope amid strangers, angels and a very focused group of recovery workers.

Unfortunately, there are multiple reports of scant federal assistance now becoming excessive federal interference.  Many people now reporting that the Federal Emergency Management Agency or FEMA is actively blocking efforts to deliver critical supplies.

Several people have asked me if I have ever experienced FEMA stopping me from my personal efforts to deliver supplies or blocked my transit into some of the most devastated areas during emergency response. The answer is no, I never have; however, the team I work with has never asked for permission.  That said, I do not doubt the reports.

Elon Musk has reported that people working on his relief missions have been blocked from rescue flights in the region.  Apparently, FEMA is trying to intercept “unapproved” transit by air, mostly helicopters, under the auspices of FAA flight authority.

SpaceX engineers are trying to deliver Starlink terminals & supplies to devastated areas in North Carolina right now and @FEMA is both failing to help AND won’t let others help. This is unconscionable!!

They just took this video a few hours ago, where you can see the level of… pic.twitter.com/abpOsfNenF

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 4, 2024

I have never seen FEMA block private sector relief efforts before. Remember, emergency management responses are state issues.

It is the STATE that must grant FEMA the authority to operate (under an emergency declaration), not vice-versa. My gut reaction to these reports is that the real source of the problem is the North Carolina STATE government abdicating its responsibility to the FEDS. I might be wrong, but something tells me this is the core issue at hand.

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Anyone who has ever worked in long-term disaster recovery and response well knows what Day #6 and Day #7 bring to the psyche.  As the crisis in Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina is now understood, the rescue and recovery work continue.

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While rescue workers still attempt to find access points into some of the most devastated towns and communities of Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina, Joe Biden was in Greenville, South Carolina today for a briefing [SEE HERE].  There remains a worrisome absence of overall federal action when overlaid to the scale of the problem.

Day #6 and 7 are generally fraught with anxiety and the sense of being overwhelmed when contrast against the tasks at hand. It is understandable that PTSD would begin to settle in the psyche of those in the hardest hit areas.  We have many friends in the region and send our deepest prayers of support and assistance to those in need.  You are not alone.

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Everything about the state of failed non-response in WNC makes sense when you honestly “look” at this video.  Folks, I’m not kidding.

Maybe it’s just me, but it just seems odd to see people in leadership reading from a teleprompter during an extreme crisis.  Both North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and DEI hire Health and Human Services Secretary, Cody Kinsley, literally read prepared remarks from a teleprompter while holding a press conference. Together with other officials they outline the latest updates in WNC Hurricane Helene rescue and recovery operations.

North Carolina DOT is reporting at lease 425 roads remain fully closed and likely many more are compromised.  Communication into and out of the region is not nearly good enough to make any quantification of problem areas possible.  Several communities are still unreachable unless by air.  WATCH:

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Seriously.  If you want to see DEI in action, watch the guy at 23:20.  This is like something out of a cheap Hollywood version.  Unreal.  I had NO IDEA North Carolina was this far gone.

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