On Wednesday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced it FEMA has approved grants totaling $5,926,692 to reimburse recovery expenses in Florida for Hurricane Michael in 2018.
Funding from FEMA’s Public Assistance program will provide the following reimbursements:
· Florida Department of Corrections: $2,228,169 for evacuating and relocating inmates to temporary facilities and work release centers from Oct. 7, 2018 to Oct. 11, 2019.
· Florida Department of Management Services: $1,585,045 for the costs of relocating Jackson County Sheriff’s office and 911 essential emergency services, as well as making repairs and upgrades to the facility to make it operational.
· First United Methodist Church in Panama City: $2,113,478 for replacing and repairing the church’s sanctuary, learning center, great hall and offices.
FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency. The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) works with FEMA during all phases of the program and reviews projects prior to FEMA final approval.
Applicants work directly with FEMA to develop projects and scopes of work. FEMA obligates funding for projects to FDEM after final approval.
Once a project is obligated, FDEM works closely with applicants to finalize grants and begin making payments. FDEM has procedures in place designed to ensure grant funding is provided to local communities as quickly as possible.
FEMA’s Public Assistance program provides grants to state, tribal and local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations, including houses of worship, so communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies.
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