A video shared on TikTok claims California residents impacted by recent fires have received $25,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in initial disaster aid compared to North Carolina residents impacted by Hurricane Helene who only received $750.
Screenshot captured via TikTok
Verdict: False
The claim is false and originally stems from a Jan. 9 Facebook post shared by the satire account “America’s Last Line Of Defense.” A FEMA spokesperson denied the claim’s validity in an email to Check Your Fact.
Fact Check:
Parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties in California are bracing for Santa Ana winds that could reach between 70 and 100 miles per hour, according to The Associated Press, which cited the National Weather Service. The warning follows recent fires in the area that have killed at least 27 people, the outlet reported.
The TikTok video claims California residents impacted by recent fires received $25,000 in initial aid from FEMA, whereas North Carolina residents impacted by Hurricane Helene only received $750.
“FEMA Payouts: North Carolina Working Class Hurricane Survivors: $750, California Millionaires With Disaster Insurance: $25,000,” text appearing on an image featured in the video reads. Photos of both disasters appear side by side.
The claim is false and originally stems from a Jan. 9 Facebook post shared by the satire account “America’s Last Line Of Defense.” The post has received over 1,000 likes as of writing. “The flagship of the [America’s Last Line Of Defense (ALLOD)] network of trollery and propaganda for cash. Nothing on this page is real,” the account’s bio reads. The account also bears a label indicating its content is “satire/parody.”
Likewise, the claim is neither referenced on FEMA’s website nor its verified social media accounts. Former President Joe Biden has not publicly commented on the claim. President Donald Trump has not addressed the claim, either.
In addition, Check Your Fact did not find any credible news reports to support the claim. Actually, the opposite is true. On Jan. 17, USA Today debunked the claim, tracing its origin to the same satirical Facebook page. (RELATED: Does Video Show South African Firefighters Arriving To Help California?)
According to a set of Jan. 14 remarks available via the White House’s website, Biden said California residents impacted by the fires would receive a “one-time payment” of $770. North Carolina residents impacted by Hurricane Helene could apply for a one-time payment of $750 in “Serious Needs Assistance” following the disaster, the agency’s website shows. The one-time payment was increased to $770, as of Oct. 1, 2024.
Furthermore, a FEMA spokesperson denied the claim’s validity in an email to Check Your Fact.
“This claim is absolutely not true. No resources have been taken from North Carolina to respond to other disasters. FEMA has the funding and resources needed to respond to the needs of North Carolina, California and other active disasters FEMA continues to support. FEMA was on the ground in North Carolina before impacts from Helene began and we will be there for as long as the recovery takes. We remain committed to helping people before, during and after disasters,” the spokesperson said, directing Check Your Fact to the agency’s “Hurricane Rumor Response” page on its website.
Read the full article here
