Wake County Commissioner Shinica Thomas joined North Carolina county leaders and the National Association of Counties (NACo) in Washington, D.C. this week to advocate for the FEMA Act (H.R. 4669). It highlights the critical role counties play in disaster response and recovery.
The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) joined NACo’s Intergovernmental Disaster Reform Task Force meeting where members discussed strategies to strengthen the nation’s ability to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters.
Together with NACo, NCACC hosted a screening of the documentary Rising Above Helene: Western North Carolina’s Journey to Recovery. The film offers a powerful reminder of the human and community impact of disasters and the vital role counties play in emergency response. It provides a detailed account of the impact and recovery efforts in seven counties – Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Haywood, Madison, Mitchell and Rutherford – while reflecting the broader effects experienced across many other areas.
Having the opportunity to share this documentary and engage in discussions with NACo’s task force around disaster response reform offered a meaningful way to connect local experiences with national policy priorities. The visit concluded with a day on Capitol Hill where NCACC members met with North Carolina’s congressional delegation to advocate for the passage of the FEMA Act and continued federal support for county-level disaster response and recovery.
“Wake County knows firsthand the devastation that hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and other disasters can cause, and we – along with counties statewide – take the lead in rebuilding our communities afterwards,” said Commissioner Thomas. “As we’ve seen in Western North Carolina, those efforts can take many months and require significant resources, which is why we support passage of the FEMA Act.”
Commissioner Thomas serves as Second Vice President of NCACC. Other members participating in the discussion included President-Elect and Hoke County Commissioner Allen Thomas; First Vice President and Ashe County Commissioner Todd McNeill; Past President and Warren County Commissioner Tare Davis; Avery County Commissioner Dennis Aldridge; Transylvania County Commissioner Larry Chapman; Mitchell County Commissioner Harley Masters; and Brunswick County Commissioner Frank Williams.
North Carolina county leaders remain committed to advocating for policies that ensure disaster preparedness, rapid recovery and resilience for communities across the state. For more information about the NCACC, visit ncacc.org.
