How misinformation and conspiracies are hampering Hurricane Helene recovery efforts
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Featuring Senior Executive Advisor Beth Zimmerman
Elizabeth Zimmerman, who served as associate administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under Barack Obama, tells inews when people are physically cut off for days it is easy for misinformation to take hold.
“When you’re not able to communicate with each other, it’s always very difficult to be able to get the word in, especially while the disaster is still continuing to impact,” says Zimmerman, now senior executive adviser at IEM, a North Carolina-based global consultancy firm.
She believes the greatest downside of the misinformation is the impact it has on victims. They’ve lost everything and are now hearing incorrect information about what help is available, she says. “That’s what hurts the most,” she says, urging people not to try and play politics.
“People just need to do what it takes to take care of these individuals. This is not a political thing,” she says. “It doesn’t matter how you vote, or if you vote. It is a matter of letting people know there are programmes that can help.”
