REGION 1 – FEMA awarded a $7,611,771 grant to the Rhode Island Department of Administration, paying for three alternate care sites in the state that treated COVID-19 patients from Sept. 30, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2020.
The funds were awarded through FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) Program are for alternate care sites at the former Citizens Bank building in Cranston: the former Lowe’s Home Improvement store in North Kingstown’s Quonset Business Park; and the Rhode Island Convention Center in downtown Providence, where no events have been held during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds are reimbursed 100% through FEMA’s PA Program.
Based on a number of factors, the state-established Rhode Island Alternative Hospital Site Planning Committee chose the locations – adding 1,385 hospital beds statewide.
“This grant pays for Rhode Island’s need for more hospital beds during a projected surge of COVID-19 patients last year,” said Acting Regional Administrator and Federal Coordinating Officer Paul Ford, who oversees FEMA’s operations in New England. “FEMA continues to support Rhode Island in its long-term goals to recover stronger and safer from the pandemic.”
As of April 12th, FEMA’s PA Program obligated more than $177 million related to the pandemic in Rhode Island.
FEMA’s PA Program in New England is for states, localities, Tribes and certain types of private nonprofit organizations. More information about it is at Assistance for Governments and Private Non-Profits After a Disaster.
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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters