FEMA AWARDS $7.9 MILLION IN GRANTS FOR ANCHORAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT
[https://www.fema.gov/press-release/4413/20210428/fema-awards-7-9-million-grants-anchorage-school-district]


Release Date: 
April 28, 2021 

BOTHELL, WASH. –The Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded
three Public Assistance [https://www.fema.gov/assistance/public]
grants totaling $7,903,431 to Alaska’s Anchorage School District.
These funds cover restoration of Dimond High School and Gruening
Middle School following damages due to the 2018 Alaska Earthquake as
well as reimbursements for emergency protective measures taken across
the Anchorage School District.

The earthquake caused extensive damage to Dimond High School and
Gruening Middle School. Both schools were temporarily closed until
emergency repairs could be made. Dimond High School sustained damage
to the main building’s thermal seal glass windows, ceiling system
support/grids, heating pipes, cracks in veneer, cracks in the sheet
rock, drywall, flooring, and the cold-formed steel diagonal bracing.
The school also sustained damage to the gymnasium, playground, and
track field. Gruening Middle School sustained damage to its interior
and exterior building, a maintenance access road, and to equipment.
Two Public Assistance grants totaling $4.3 million are intended to
restore Gruening Middle School ($2,240,995) and Dimond High
($2,029,053) back to their pre-disaster design, capacity, and
function.

Reimbursements for emergency protective measures account for the
remaining $3.6 million of this $7.9 million award. Examples of
emergency protective measures taken across the Anchorage School
District include implementing barriers, fencing, and signage for
damaged facilities; shoring and bracing structurally-compromised
buildings; installing temporary slope stabilization for two school
buildings; and renting equipment and substitute facilities that
allowed education to continue while the school buildings were
temporarily closed.

FEMA provides this $7.9 million in federal
funding through the Public Assistance
[https://www.fema.gov/assistance/public] program, which reimburses
communities for actions taken for response and recovery from a
disaster. Public Assistance funding can cover emergency assistance
to save lives, protect property, and restore community
infrastructure affected by a major disasters or emergencies.   

Public Assistance funds are awarded directly to Alaska Division of
Homeland Security and Emergency Management Alaska to make makes
disbursements to state agencies, local, and tribal jurisdictions that
incurred costs. This funding is provided at 75 percent federal
share.  To learn more about the Public Assistance program, visit 
fema.gov/assistance/public [https://www.fema.gov/assistance/public]. 

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