After someone on social media roguishly suggested that Ohio GOP Governor Mike DeWine put a mask of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on to obtain federal assistance after the train disaster in East Palestine, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) responded approvingly.
DeWine revealed on Thursday that he had asked the Biden administration’s FEMA for federal assistance but had been denied.
“Ohio Governor Mike DeWine spoke with officials at the White House early this morning to address the need for federal help,” DeWine’s office said in a statement. “As a result of this conversation, the Governor has requested assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health and Emergency Response Team, and the CDC to provide on-the-ground assistance in East Palestine.”
“The DeWine Administration has been in daily contact with FEMA to discuss the need for federal support, however FEMA continues to tell Governor DeWine that Ohio is not eligible for assistance at this time,” the statement continued. “Governor DeWine will continue working with FEMA to determine what assistance can be provided.”
Ohio was able to get some assistance through the Department of Health and Human Services that can assist residents who need medical care as a result of the fallout from the derailment and toxic burn, Dan Tierney, a spokesperson for DeWine, told Fox News on Thursday.
On Friday, Paul reacted to a meme reading, “Ohio’s governor after Biden denied his request for disaster assistance” with a doctored photo showing DeWine wearing a Zelensky mask.
“I mean, it’s worth a shot,” Paul quipped.
I mean, it’s worth a shot pic.twitter.com/NSsxc8bO8t
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) February 17, 2023
Thirty-eight train cars of the 151-car Norfolk Southern train 32N originating from Madison, Illinois, derailed on February 3, prompting authorities to conduct a “toxic release” of hazardous chemicals on board the train. Those chemicals included vinyl chloride and ethylhexyl acrylate, which are considered carcinogens.
“Since January 2021, the United States has invested more than $30 billion in security assistance to demonstrate our enduring and steadfast commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the State Department acknowledged earlier this month.
The list of United States security assistance to Ukraine has included, according to the State Department:
- Over 1,600 Stinger anti-aircraft systems;
- Over 8,500 Javelin anti-armor systems;
- Over 50,000 other anti-armor systems and munitions;
- Over 700 Switchblade Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems;
- 160 155mm Howitzers and up to 1,094,000 155mm artillery rounds;
- Over 5,800 precision-guided 155mm artillery rounds;
- 10,200 155mm rounds of Remote Anti-Armor Mine (RAAM) Systems;
- 100,000 rounds of 125mm tank ammunition;
- 45,000 152mm artillery rounds;
- 20,000 122mm artillery rounds;
- 50,000 122mm GRAD rockets;
- 72 105mm Howitzers and 370,000 105mm artillery rounds;
- 298 Tactical Vehicles to tow weapons;
- 34 Tactical Vehicles to recover equipment;
- 30 ammunition support vehicles;
- 38 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and ammunition;
- 30 120mm mortar systems and approximately 166,000 120mm mortar rounds;
- 10 82mm mortar systems;
- 10 60mm mortar systems;
- 2,590 Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles;
- 545,000 rounds of 25mm ammunition;
- 120mm ammunition;
- Ten Command Post vehicles;
- One Patriot air defense battery and munitions;
- Eight National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) and munitions;
- Missiles for HAWK air defense systems;
- RIM-7 missiles for air defense;
- 12 Avenger air defense systems;
- High-speed Anti-radiation missiles (HARMs);
- Precision aerial munitions;
- 4,000 Zuni aircraft rockets;
- 20 Mi-17 helicopters;
- 31 Abrams tanks;
- 45 T-72B tanks;
- 109 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles;
- Over 1,700 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs);
- Over 100 light tactical vehicles;
- 44 trucks and 88 trailers to transport heavy equipment;
- 90 Stryker Armored Personnel Carriers;
- 300 M113 Armored Personnel Carriers;
- 250 M1117 Armored Security Vehicles;
- 580 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs);
- Six armored utility trucks;
- Mine clearing equipment and systems;
- Over 13,000 grenade launchers and small arms;
- Over 111,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition;
- Over 75,000 sets of body armor and helmets;
- Approximately 1,800 Phoenix Ghost Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems;
- Laser-guided rocket systems;
- Puma Unmanned Aerial Systems;
- 15 Scan Eagle Unmanned Aerial Systems;
- Two radars for Unmanned Aerial Systems;
- Unmanned Coastal Defense Vessels;
- Over 50 counter-artillery radars;
- Four counter-mortar radars;
- 20 multi-mission radars;
- Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems and equipment;
- Counter air defense capability;
- Ten air surveillance radars;
- Two harpoon coastal defense systems;
- 58 coastal and riverine patrol boats;
- M18A1 Claymore anti-personnel munitions;
- C-4 explosives, demolition munitions, and demolition equipment for obstacle clearing;
- Obstacle emplacement equipment;
- Tactical secure communications systems;
- Four satellite communications antennas;
- SATCOM terminals and services;
- Thousands of night vision devices, surveillance systems, thermal imagery systems, optics, and laser rangefinders;
- Commercial satellite imagery services;
- Explosive ordnance disposal equipment and protective gear;
- Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear protective equipment;
- 100 armored medical treatment vehicles;
- Over 350 generators;
- Medical supplies to include first aid kits, bandages, monitors, and other equipment;
- Electronic jamming equipment;
- Field equipment, cold weather gear, and spare parts;
- Funding for training, maintenance, and sustainment.