FEMA PROVIDES $147 MILLION FOR ILLINOIS COVID-19 RESPONSE [https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20230510/fema-provides-147-million-illinois-covid-19-response] CHICAGO - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) announced this week that two grants totaling $146,986,960 have been made available in federal disaster aid to reimburse IEMA for emergency protective measures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This grant funding is part of the recovery efforts in response to the federal disaster declaration of March 31, 2020. In response to COVID-19, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) utilized contracts to purchase and distribute personal protective equipment (PPE) statewide to reduce the threat of COVID-19. PPE was stored in state operated warehouses for statewide distribution in response to resource requests submitted by eligible partners. A major objective of the Illinois response to the public health emergency was to ensure that hospitals, medical facilities, response organizations, public health and safety agencies and other essential functions had adequate PPE, supplies and equipment to respond and continue providing essential and critical services.   “FEMA’s Public Assistance Program is an important resource for states affected by COVID-19,” said Kevin M. Sligh, acting regional administrator, FEMA Region 5. “These grant funds helped ensure PPE was available statewide to protect essential workers, first responders and others.” “The State of Illinois remains steadfast in its commitment to save lives during this pandemic,” said IEMA Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau. “Studies show wearing personal protective equipment, such as a face mask, is critical to slow the spread of COVID-19 from one person to another. Under the direction of Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency has gone to great lengths to procure PPE for our frontline healthcare workers, first responders and our state’s critical workforce. This agency will continue to work tirelessly to meet the needs of our communities.” FEMA provides a 75 percent federal share of eligible reimbursable expenses for these projects. The eligible costs for the awards are $179,027,466.46 and $16,955,146.69 with a federal share of 134,270,599.85 and $12,716,360.02 respectively. FEMA’s Public Assistance Program provides funding to state and local government jurisdictions and eligible private non-profits for the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged infrastructure as well as costs incurred for debris removal, disaster cleanup and emergency actions taken to protect lives or property.