FEMA approves $1.5M for COVID-19 protection measures by Maui Emergency Management Agency

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has authorized the release of more than $1.5 million to the County of Maui to reimburse the public funds it spent to test people for COVID-19 from October 2020 through September 2021.

The payment covers the cost of testing equipment, supplies, and personnel who administered more than 33,000 tests at three locations over the course of a year, including during the surge of COVID-19 cases driven by the delta variant.

The federal government agreed to reimburse 100% of certain qualified expenditures for the COVID-19 emergency response under the Presidential disaster declaration for the incident. The Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency works with government offices and nonprofits in the state to document their spending during declared federal disasters and assist with obtaining reimbursement.

More than $219 million worth of projects have been approved so far by FEMA for reimbursement of spending on emergency protective measures by organizations in Hawai‘i.

The Maui Emergency Management Agency operated three COVID-19 testing sites in Kahului, Kīhei and Lahaina through a contractor. The state’s Maui District Health Office assisted with completing the testing. 

HI-EMA is continuing to work with local organizations and FEMA to seek reimbursement for eligible COVID-19 expenditures.

“The expense of COVID-19 fell hard on local organizations and county governments, and HI-EMA is working hard to make sure that all those qualified expenses are reimbursed,” said Luke Meyers, Administrator of the agency.