FEMA Will Refuse To Reimburse States For PPE's In Schools Starting September 15

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Tuesday announced its decision to curtail reimbursements for personal protective equipment (PPE) to be used in schools, courthouses, and other businesses.

FEMA, in its defense, claimed that the agency incurred significant operating costs in the recent past after paying up for the PPE in “non-emergency settings”. Hence, have now decided to limit costs of PPE as an “emergency protective measure.”

The agency will continue to cover for “direct emergency” that entails direct medical care, mass-casualty management (handling dead bodies), and food services, as these sectors qualify for the public assistance fund.

“Supporting schools and other functions – courthouses and other related functions – are not a direct emergency protective measures and therefore they’re not eligible for public assistance,” said Keith Turi, a FEMA assistant administrator for recovery, according to the NPR.

Turi further alleged that the added expenditure could fall under the ambit of the Department of Health and Human Services. The statements however contradict Vice President Mike Pence’s recent stance that reportedly suggested how teachers were essential workers and would be “prioritized” for PPE.

The new protocol, which is likely to come into effect on September 15, comes as a bolt from the blue as scores of Americans are heavily dependent on the agency since the initial stages of the outbreak. The move sent shockwaves across the nation, with presidential nominee Joe Biden slamming the move and the Trump administration for displaying insensitivity at the time of crisis.

“This is an emergency. And Donald Trump and his FEMA sshould treat it as one,” said Biden at a campaign event on Wednesday in Delaware. “If I were president today I'd direct FEMA to make sure that our kids K-12 get full access to disaster relief and emergency assistance. I'd make sure that PPE and sanitation supplies for school qualify as 'emergency protective measures,' which is the phrase they use, to fully be eligible for federal assistance,” he added.

Biden urged that if he came into power, he would certainly work toward passing the emergency legislation to equip schools with the necessary resources to operate under optimum safety.

The FEMA has played a pivotal role in helping states release unemployment benefits as a federal stimulus plan continues to be shrouded in uncertainty.