N.C. disaster recovery is a mess. Here’s how a single legislator could help fix it

A no-frills video series could finally bring clarity to a system nobody seems to fully understand.

I’ve spent a lot of time trying to understand how disaster recovery actually works in North Carolina — and I’ve come away with more questions than answers.

To be blunt: I’m not positive anyone fully understands the system. There’s never been a clear, public explanation of what the government is actually supposed to deliver, who’s responsible for what, or what a successful recovery looks like.

That’s why I keep coming back to this idea: A legislator on one of the disaster oversight committees should start a simple, no-frills video series to walk people through the system — one step at a time.

It doesn’t have to be flashy. Just honest, direct updates tackling the core questions:

• What does the government actually provide after a disaster?

• Who pays for what — FEMA, Congress, the state, local governments, private insurance?

• What’s the timeline supposed to be?

• What does “recovery” even mean?

This format works. Just look at how AG Jeff Jackson built a following — by breaking down complicated topics …