BOSTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending more than $2.9 million to the State of Connecticut to reimburse the Saint Vincent’s Medical Center for the cost of steps taken to protect the public during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The $2,908,343 FEMA Public Assistance grant will reimburse the 473-bed Catholic hospital in Bridgeport affiliated with Hartford HealthCare – for steps undertaken between February 2020 and June 2021, including hiring temporary staff to deal with the increased patient load.
The hospital also purchased and distributed personal protective equipment (PPE) such as N95 respirators, medical gowns, face shields, and face masks for staff, as well as supplies and equipment such as ventilators, a HEPA air scrubber, an internal infusion pump system, plexiglass, signage, and disinfectant supplies.
“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist the Saint Vincent’s Medical Center with these costs,” said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. “Providing resources for our partners on the front lines of the pandemic fight is critical to their success, and our success as a nation.”
FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency.
So far, FEMA has provided almost $604 million in Public Assistance grants to Connecticut to reimburse the state for pandemic-related expenses.