North Carolina Emergency Management officials advising residents and pilots to be mindful about misinformation when it comes to aerial recovery efforts in Western North Carolina.
On top of government efforts people have also helped by donating goods and flying them into Asheville’s airport and other airstrips. The Federal Aviation Administration said it’s seen a major surge in air traffic over Western North Carolina, including private relief, national guard and military planes.
However, the recovery efforts have also brought misinformation on social media saying the FAA is restricting air space, or that FEMA has taken over airports or blocked aid Spokesman Justin Graney of North Carolina Emergency Management said people need to exercise care sharing what they see online.
Make sure it's legitimate and, and try to find that information and trusted sources, Graney said.
There’s been a lot of misinformation about aviation operations in Western NC. To ensure the public & pilots get accurate info, we’ve provided details on how airports & aviation partners are working to ensure safe, efficient operations.
— Division of Aviation (@NCAviation) October 7, 2024
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“Misinformation damages everything, it hurts everyone. We don't want that getting in the way of response and relief efforts. So please make sure you're fact checking it and deciding what information is best to post and best to communicate to others.”
The FAA has implemented some prior permission rules for incoming flights to deal with the crowded skies and runways. You can go to ncdps.gov/helene for the latest information.