ST. CROIX, U.S. Virgin Islands -- FEMA has committed an additional $33.5 million to the U.S. Virgin Islands to reimburse the territory for emergency medical services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The $33.5 million Public Assistance grant will reimburse the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Health for contracting emergency medical services to provide ambulances, personnel, equipment and supplies to assist with the territory’s COVID-19 response from July 2, 2022, through February 28, 2023.
“FEMA’s partnership with the territory led to unified efforts that supported lifesaving and life-sustaining measures during a challenging time for the U.S. Virgin Islands and the nation,” said FEMA Virgin Islands Caribbean Area Office Coordinator Mark A. Walters. “We answered the territory’s request to support its COVID-19 response in March 2020 and it was a privilege to support its efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus over the last three years.”
“The Department of Health is elated to learn that FEMA has provided additional funds to cover the cost of critical, life-saving services to the people of this Territory. The services rendered were a valuable and vital asset in the Territory’s response to COVID and were instrumental in the USVI’s ability to return to normalcy. Our many thanks to the hardworking FEMA team that continues to collaborate and work alongside the Territory in response to manmade and natural disasters,” said Virgin Islands Department of Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion.
As of May 3, 2023, FEMA has committed $146.1 million to the U.S. Virgin Islands to reimburse the territory for its COVID-19 response. FEMA’s support for the territory’s COVID-19 response includes funding and technical support for:
- Vaccine centers, emergency operations centers, personal protective equipment (PPE), medical care surge build outs, staffing, testing and emergency response.
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- Public Assistance Program provides supplemental grants to state, tribal, territorial, and local governments, and certain types of private nonprofits so communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies. Learn more at www.fema.gov/assistance/public . To learn more about the COVID-19 response in the U.S. Virgin Islands, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4513 and www.covid19usvi.com .
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