Southern Brooklyn

Rose urges FEMA to prioritize the delivery of PPE to southern Brooklyn nursing homes

May 7, 2020 Jaime DeJesus
Rose urges FEMA to prioritize the delivery of PPE to southern Brooklyn nursing homes
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U.S. Rep. Max Rose is calling for the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) to prioritize delivering personal protective equipment (PPE) to nursing homes in southern Brooklyn 

The request comes following FEMA’s announcement that it will start delivering PPE around the country.

A week ago, it announced that it will coordinate two shipments, including a seven-day supply of PPE to each Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing home across the country. By July, FEMA states that each nursing home will receive two packages totaling a two-week supply of PPE.

“We’re in the heart of this pandemic and, tragically, nursing homes are desperately in need of PPE and critical supplies to protect their residents and employees,” said Rose. “While it’s encouraging to finally see FEMA step up to help fill this urgent need, nursing homes across Staten Island and South Brooklyn need more and need it faster.”

On Wednesday, May 6, Rose wrote a letter to FEMA Administrator Paul Gaynor urging him to provide a sizable supply of PPE to every nursing home in Brooklyn and Staten Island as soon as possible.

“This pandemic has caused tremendous suffering in my community. As a New York City district we are at the epicenter of this crisis and this help is needed now,” wrote Rose in the letter. “I urge that you send this PPE as soon as possible and that you prioritize Staten Island and Brooklyn for more PPE than your standard ration as we are the nation’s hotspot and have the most need for these resources and supplies.”

He added, “A few days ago FEMA announced that it would be sending PPE to nursing homes across the nation. This was long overdue but we welcome it and urge you to make assisting nursing homes a priority going forward. To ensure that FEMA has a meaningful impact here, PPE should be delivered to every nursing home on Staten Island and in Brooklyn and they should get these items ahead of and in larger quantities than areas that have had very few cases of COVID-19. This critical action would help save lives in the area of the country that needs it the most.”

Rose has also called on FEMA to waive the 25 percent state match for FEMA funding and to approve all outstanding requests by New York State for badly needed aid, including Individual Assistance, as well as to include pandemic response efforts as eligible for hazard mitigation funding.

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