BOSTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending almost $1.1 million to the State of Rhode Island to reimburse the state health department for the costs of data analysis and targeting public messages to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
The $1,102,400 FEMA Public Assistance grant will go to the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) for contracting for experts in data analytics to inform public communications about COVID-19 between January and August 2021.
The data was then used by the state’s executive team as it communicated essential health and safety information to the community regarding protective measures people should take to prevent the spread of COVID-19, as well as answering questions about the safety and reliability of vaccines and providing key bilingual messaging on safe behaviors, assistance, and community support available from the Rhode Island Department of Health.
“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist the State of Rhode Island with these costs,” said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. “Providing resources for our partners on the front lines of the pandemic fight is critical to their success, and our success as a nation.”
FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency.
These grants brings the total awarded by FEMA to the State of Rhode Island to almost $535 million to reimburse the state for pandemic-related expenses.