FEMA Awards $7.5 Million To Greenwich Hospital For COVID Response

GREENWICH, CT — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced earlier this week that they have awarded $7.5 million in federal funds to Greenwich Hospital for the State of Connecticut's initial emergency response to COVID and protective measures from the coronavirus.

According to a news release, the funds were awarded in two separate grants through FEMA's Public Assistance (PA) Program for expenses incurred in 2020.

A $5.1 million grant covers eligible costs from Jan. 20 to June 30, 2020. Specifically, it includes reimbursement for a command center, temporary testing facility, rented stretchers and heaters, a temporary morgue, staff for emergency-work tasks, and public dissemination of information.

A $2.4 million grant covers costs from Jan. 21 to Aug. 31, 2020, and reimburses the temporary tents and trailers set up outside the hospital as part of an emergency triage area, a specimens collection point, areas converted into additional rooms for patients, rented beds, and more medical supplies and equipment.

FEMA is providing a 100% federal cost share of eligible expenses for these two PA projects, according to the news release.

"Since the start of the pandemic, Greenwich Hospital has been an important partner in the State of Connecticut’s battle against COVID-19 and its many challenges,” said Acting Regional Administrator and Federal Coordinating Officer Paul Ford in a news release. Ford oversees FEMA’s operations in New England. "These grants support Connecticut’s mission to save lives, prevent illness and continue down the road to recovery."

Greenwich Hospital President Diane Kelly told Patch the hospital is "very pleased" about receiving the grants from FEMA.

"I am extremely proud of how our hospital and health system rallied to care for an enormous volume of patients when COVID hit last year, as well as our efforts to establish a drive-through testing site and convert non-patient space to be ready to care for even more patients," Kelly said.

Greenwich Hospital was once the epicenter for COVID-19 in Connecticut. At one point during the peak of the pandemic, the roughly 200 bed facility housed over 120 patients. As of last Friday night, there were zero COVID patients being treated for the first time since Oct. 1, 2020.

FEMA’s PA Program is for certain types of private non-profit organizations, states, commonwealths, localities, federally recognized Tribes and territories. For more information about the program, click here.

FEMA says that as of May 20, it has obligated $495.6 million related to the coronavirus pandemic in Connecticut.