WASHINGTON — The whole-of-America response to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic continues today, with National Guardsmen and U.S. Army Soldiers providing support from Washington State to Florida. Medical professionals moved COVID-19 patients to the Jacob K Javits Convention Center in New York, while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began construction plans for an alternate medical facility in Michigan.
Meanwhile, international flights continued arriving in Chicago with medical supplies for distribution in the hardest hit areas around the country.
Under the White House Coronavirus Task Force's direction, FEMA, HHS and our federal partners are working with state, local, tribal and territorial governments to execute a whole-of-America response to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and protect the public. In addition to the nationwide emergency declaration, President Trump has granted 50 major disaster declarations to states, territories and the District of Columbia.
As of April 7, FEMA has obligated more than $4 billion in support of COVID-19 efforts. This week, major obligations include:
- $35 million for Tennessee for facility assessments and construction support of alternate medical care facilities.
- $29 million for Maryland for site assessment and build of alternate care sites.
- $60 million to Washington, D.C. to acquire PPE decontamination equipment.
- $54 million to Illinois to provide facility assessments and construction to address medical facility shortages.•
- $60 million to New York to provide equipment, supplies and temporary staff.
FEMA and HHS have distributed 117 million N-95 respirators, 26.5 million surgical masks, 5.3 million face shields, 4.4 million surgical gowns and 22.6 million gloves.
Medical Personnel Transport COVID-19 Patients to Javits Convention Center
NEW YORK (April 7, 2020) — Medical personnel transport COVID-19 patients to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. The convention center is an alternate care site as part of New York’s multi-agency response to COVID-19.
U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Sean Madden
Fla. National Guard Supports Community-Based Testing Site
DELRAY BEACH, Fla. (April 7, 2020) — Florida National Guard Soldiers with the 53rd Brigade Support Battalion support the opening of Palm Beach County’s second COVID-19 community-based drive-thru testing site at the South County Civic Center. The soldiers are supporting the fight against the “invisible enemy” by working in communities across the state with Florida Department of Health and Florida Division of Emergency Management.
U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael Baltz
Army Corps of Engineers Announce Care Facility Construction in Michigan
DETROIT (April 7, 2020) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, announces it is beginning construction on an alternate care facility in Novi, Mich., as part of the FEMA-led response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Courtesy Photo/USACE
The 627th Soldiers Set Up Field Hospital at Seattle's Centurylink Field in Seattle
SEATTLE (April 5, 2020) — A U.S. Army captain from the 627th Army Hospital sets up patient monitoring equipment in the Centurylink Field Events Center. Soldiers from the 627th, based in Fort Carson, Colo., stood up the field hospital to serve as overflow for Puget Sound, Wash.-area hospitals and treat non-COVID-19 patients.
Photo by Jeff Markham/FEMA
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