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Citation:         FEMA--DR-FL; Lake-Sumter Emergency Medical Services, Project Worksheets (PWs) 915, 183, 193, 73

Cross-

Reference:     Eligibility, Emergency protective measures

Summary:       In response to Hurricanes Charley (DR-1539), Frances (DR-1545) and Jeanne (DR-1561) in 2004, Lake-Sumter Emergency Medical Service, Inc. (Applicant) provided emergency medical services to the citizens of Lake and Sumter counties.  The State of Florida prepared PWs 915, 183, 193, and 73 to reimburse the Applicant for the incurred costs of staffing ambulances and equipment usage.  During project closeout FEMA determined that the costs claimed by the Applicant were ineligible because the labor and equipment costs were identified as standby time.  Additionally, the requested costs included costs that the Applicant had already billed patients and insurance providers.  The Applicant appealed this determination with a letter dated April 22, 2010.  The Applicant’s appeal noted that mandatory evacuations caused the Applicant to staff an emergency operations center.  The Applicant also stated that having staged and ready to respond ambulances and labor is a salient step to protecting public health and safety.  The FEMA Regional Administrator denied the appeal noting that a review of Ambulance dispatch logs revealed that the ambulances were not used for the full 24 hours, but spent time in the station in standby or out of service.  The Applicant’s second appeal claims that the ambulance crews were performing eligible emergency protective measures while on call.  The Grantee supported the appeal and clarified that when not responding to emergency calls, the crews were engaged in maintaining and inventorying supplies within the ambulance unit, training and upgrading skills, and traveling between various readiness locations.

Issue:              Does the documentation the Applicant submitted demonstrate that the ambulance crews were engaged in eligible emergency protective measures, such as the direct support of congregate shelters when not responding to emergency calls?

Findings:         No.

Rationale:       44 CFR §206.225(a)(3)(i) Emergency Work.