As half the country prepared for Snow Storm Fern, Homeland Security Officials allegedly told the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) not use the word “ice” in public messaging to avoid confusion and online mockery for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
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According to CNN, officials told FEMA staff they were concerned about certain phrasing that could be used during the snowstorm. Among the phrases included was “watch for ice.” Officials said the phrase could confuse the public, as it is used to warn of ICE agents in various locations.
Officials also noted that the phrase would undermine the message’s purpose, as it could lead to mockery of ICE agents.
“If FEMA says, ‘Keep off the roads if you see ice,’ it would be easy for the public to meme it,” one source said. “I think it’s a dangerous precedent to set. If we can’t use clear language to help prepare Americans, then people may be left vulnerable and could suffer.”
Instead of using the word “ice,” FEMA staff were told to use the term “freezing rain” in public messages.
A FEMA spokesperson has since spoken out about the situation. “‘Reporting’ like this reads like a desperate ploy for clickbait rather than real journalism that actually gives Americans disaster preparedness information that could save lives,” the spokesperson stated. “FEMA will use correct and accurate descriptors of weather conditions to communicate clearly to the American people.”
Snow Storm Fern was forecast to stretch more than 2,000 miles from Texas to New England.
20 States Have Declared a State of Emergency During Snow Storm Fern
Meanwhile, 20 states have declared a state of emergency during Snow Storm Fern.
Among the states were Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.
President Trump confirmed that he approved of multiple states’ declarations.
“I have just approved Emergency Declarations for Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, and West Virginia,” he wrote on Truth Social. “We are working closely with FEMA, Governors, and State Emergency Management teams to ensure the safety of everybody.”
Washington, D.C., also declared a state of emergency.
Approximately 12 states have activated their National Guard amid the state of emergency.