NEW ORLEANS – The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced today $582,000 in consolidated federal funding to Plaquemines Parish for contents damaged during Hurricane Katrina throughout several of their emergency management system buildings.

During the storm, Plaquemines’ Port Sulphur EMS Building, Pointe a la Hache EMS Building, Braithwaite Ambulance Office and Health Department Building all sustained extensive damages, resulting in FEMA previously providing separate grants to replace each of their respective contents losses. More recently, Plaquemines Parish requested FEMA to fund an improved project to consolidate these multiple grants into one through using a broader content categorization system.

“Our recent funding approves this request, providing Plaquemines Parish the flexible recovery support necessary to purchase new contents to meet their overarching, post-Katrina EMS needs,” said FEMA’s Louisiana Recovery Office Deputy Director of Programs Andre Cadogan.

Before, Plaquemines Parish needed to replace damaged contents “item for item” when using federal dollars, whereas this new approach allows them to buy similar items within five agreed upon categories—information technology, emergency medical service equipment and supplies, office equipment and supplies, furnishings, and kitchen and laundry equipment and supplies.

“This is another example of the great team work that FEMA is doing. Because of these efforts we have made great progress in rebuilding our great parish. I am thankful for the ongoing relationship we have with the people at FEMA,” said Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser.

To date, including this recent consolidated grant, FEMA has provided approximately $808.5 million for hurricanes Katrina and Rita recovery efforts throughout Plaquemines Parish.

When FEMA approves projects through its supplemental Public Assistance grant, the funds are made available to the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness, who disburses them to the applicant for eligible work completed.

The Public Assistance program works with state and local officials to fund recovery measures and the rebuilding of government and certain private nonprofit organizations’ buildings, as well as roads, bridges and water and sewer plants. In order for the process to be successful, federal, state and local partners coordinate to draw up project plans, fund these projects and oversee their completion.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.