The Trump administration is considering major changes to the way that disaster response works in America, including ceding more responsibility to states. But is that really a good idea? North Carolina's spotty record of responding to hurricanes might provide some answers and offer a glimpse into the uncertain future of disaster relief.

Featuring:

• Rebecca Hersher, reporter on NPR's Climate Desk
• Ren Larson, reporter at The Assembly and a ProPublica Local Reporting Network fellow

Links:

• "As Helene Survivors Wait for State Help, Some Victims of Earlier Hurricanes Are Still Out of Their Homes"
• "3 big changes are proposed for FEMA. This is what experts really think of them"

Cover image: From NOAA, this colored infrared composite image of Hurricane Helene was captured on September 27, 2024 utilizing the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) aboard NOAA's GOES-16 satellite.

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