TEMA director says steer clear of uninformed gossip online and on national networks about flood donations

The lies of a few are confusing a crowd of thousands.

Tennessee Emergency Management Agency Director Patrick Sheehan told Bristol Broadcasting News that incorrect information concerning donations from the public has been posted on social media and broadcast on some national networks.

“I think what’s being conveyed in pretty black and white in untrue terms is that TEMA is confiscating food or donations. That is not true,” Sheehan said.

The director said donations have been coming from in and out of state is appreciated and gives the agency a need for more space for storing. That is where Bristol Motor Speedway comes in–donating their facilities to be used as a central point of contact for people wanting to give and folks who need those essential items.

Residents who want reliable information or are in need of assistance due to flood damage, contact the Northeast Tennessee Disaster Relief Crisis Hotline: (423) 830-2696.

(IMAGE: Tennessee Emergency Management Agency / Official Facebook)