FEMA conspiracy theories date to the 1980s
FEMA has been dealing with conspiracy theorists since shortly after the agency was created.
In the wake of hurricanes Helene and Milton, an outlandish conspiracy theory about the Federal Emergency Management Agency that has percolated for decades started to reappear online. Now, the government agency is making one of its strongest pushes against the claim to date.
In a new section of its hurricane rumor response page published Wednesday, FEMA looked to put to rest the long-lasting conspiracy theory that’s followed it since shortly after the agency was founded. Known as the “FEMA camps” theory, it falsely speculates that the agency sets up camps meant to “detain people.”
On the page, the government agency wrote that it has recently set up temporary housing for staff responding to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in a few locations in western North Carolina. FEMA added that there are over a thousand FEMA staff in the state and that the lodging, which is protected by security personnel, is for staff and “not for any other purpose.” It called the “FEMA camp” rumors “all false.”
“‘FEMA camp’ rumors are founded in long-standing conspiracy theories intended to discredit our efforts to help survivors,” the page reads. “FEMA does not round up or detain people, does not enact martial law, does not set up internment camps, and does not secretly operate mining settlements.”
A FEMA spokesperson said the government agency addressed the rumor to “set the record straight” after “noticing a sustained volume of false and misleading information that impacted survivors and response efforts” about its responder lodging, which FEMA sets up by consulting with state and local officials.
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