News From East Tennessee- Where’s the Government?

Photo Credit: Crossroads Cowboy Church Webpage

I talked to my friend Todd Manker today. He is in East Tennessee delivering donation items. This is Todd’s second trip from Southern Illinois this week hauling packed trailers of donated goods to the hurricane devasted survivors as far east as he can get into east Tennessee.

I asked if he could pass along some information to Guns Save Life readers who are considering donating money or hauling goods to the hurricane relief and he readily agreed.

I asked him if he wanted me to publish his name as his shooting competition nickname “Thor Blood Axe” and he said no- “Use my real name”, as he is so angry with the government right now after seeing the lack of perceived help, he hopes to be placed on every government watch list and even assigned his own surveillance drone!

A word about Todd, he is an Army veteran and a retired state Corrections Officer and a pistol and 3 gun shooter. He is a law and order rules guy and patriot. Many of his casual conversations involve the phrase “throat punch.” Todd is my friend. He would be your friend too and give you the shirt off his back- if you aren’t a jerk.  Today, Todd said he and all of the East Tennessee survivors are furious at the lack of U.S. Government help in the region. OK, let’s just call it what it is, the lack of Biden/Harris attention to the horrific hurricane that was twice the size of Katrina.

Todd said the population has heard about FEMA stories and how they are helping. Yet no one he has talked to, seen or met anyone from FEMA. As to why Todd hasn’t gone into NC, he said he is about 30 crow fly minutes from Asheville, but there are no roads to get there. He is headed up some mountain roads this afternoon to try to get to some more remote areas who need help and supplies. He has said it is absolutely heartbreaking to see how people have suffered and heartwarming to see the outpouring of donations private citizens are sending in.

So with no FEMA, who is helping these people? Todd said there are a huge amount of trucked in goods being brought in by private citizens and organizations. There are also a large number of private helicopters accessing the remote areas . Purportedly, a local billionaire from Greenville, TN is footing the tab for all of their AVGAS.

According to Manker, the people on the ground are very kind and so grateful ,and yet so full of rage against the White House/FEMA response. They see and hear the news about Biden/Harris giving millions this past weekend to people in Lebanon. They see FEMA spokespeople back tracking on information they put out last week and claiming they are all in- yet no one Todd has spoken with has seen a single FEMA representative. In his two trips in and spending time at four different supply points no one has seen any, let alone said a good word to say about any “Government Support.”

They heard the 101st Airborne and 82nd Airborne have been sent in to help a few days ago, but no one in East Tennessee had seen them. Blackhawks and Chinooks are seen overhead passing occasionally but it is private helicopters who are doing the work.

I asked about the rumor stories we see, and he said there is no truth to FEMA blocking efforts or taking supplies away from private groups. There is just no FEMA at this end of the disaster. Stories of roving bandits ambushing supplies and vehicles are also not true. In fact Todd said the area is populated by good people who would not tolerate such behavior. We talked about the tire slashing story where 69 trailer tires were slashed and saw it did happen at a truck stop, but it was a single nut job who was subsequently arrested for the behavior.

On one of Todd’s FB posts this past week he related a story about a deputy sheriff giving out good advice if someone should try to hijack relief supplies….you can guess what advice was passed along.

When asked for a list of things to know for people who may want to go over and help, Todd’s #1 piece of advice was to get in touch with Operation Compassion before even leaving home. He said you need to have a group who can accept your goods. Most of this is being taken care of by local churches and volunteers. Roads are packed with inbound vehicles to the point there are actual relief support traffic jams and some places aren’t able to unload semi tractors or even have areas to turn them around.

Todd got hooked up with Crossroads Cowboy Church and said they are a great resource but things are so fluid they change almost hourly. Today their outdoor drop off site is being moved to an old roller rink miles away in anticipation for more rain coming in this week.

Cell signal, which most of the U.S. takes for granted is still hit and miss in that end of the state so keep hourly contact with your delivery site.

Many places had roads completely washed out, so stay flexible and don’t risk plugging an already sketchy path and denying others access.

He said the people in east Tennessee still need a lot of help. Cash and gift cards are always good, and as the week progresses the needs list has changed from immediate food/water desperation to longer term supplies. Todd said think of the new focus on getting camping supplies you would need if you were in the woods, support materials and clothing.

Maker said he has seen an engineer group from the Tennessee National Guard this trip. They have 4 wheelers and are getting up into the mountains.

Being a gun guy, I asked Todd if he had any gun stories from his trips. He said last night he stayed with a shooter friend and they heard gunshots in the hills and even some automatic fire. When his asked what that was all about, Todd’s host said “That’s just my neighbor. They target practice every night.”

Seems like they will be all practiced up, and give off quite a bit of noise to discourage anyone from coming by in the night. ‘Merica.

Here is a list of needed donation items put out this week by the Crossroads Cowboy Church today: