FEMA awards Bay District more than $1.2 million for Hurricane Michael Expenses

Tallahassee, Florida – FEMA has approved $1,273,313 to the state of Florida to assist the School Board of Bay County with reimbursement for the costs of temporary facilities following Hurricane Michael under FEMA’s Public Assistance Program.

FEMA funds will reimburse the school board for actions it took following the October 2018 storm to provide 70 temporary classrooms and restroom modules at five school sites, including Bay High, Callaway Elementary and Jinks, Mowat and Surfside middle schools. Other actions included providing signs for the temporary modules.

The grant is funded by FEMA’s Public Assistance program, an essential source of funding for communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency. The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) works with FEMA during all phases of the program and conducts final reviews of FEMA-approved projects.

Applicants work directly with FEMA to develop projects and scopes of work. FEMA obligates funding for the project after its final approval.

Once a project is obligated by FEMA, FDEM works closely with the applicant to finalize the grant and begin making payments. FDEM has implemented new procedures designed to ensure grant funding is provided to local communities as quickly as possible.

FEMA’s Public Assistance program provides grants to state, tribal, and local governments, and certain types of private non-profit organizations, including houses of worship, so that communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies.