Coronavirus: FEMA, President Trump approves Ohio disaster declaration

WASHINGTON D.C. — UPDATE @ 12:45 p.m.:

FEMA has officially granted Ohio’s request to declare a major disaster for the state.

The declaration granted by FEMA and President Trump allows for the release of Federal funds which will help communities recover from the coronavirus, according to a release.

Funds will be primarily helpful with the following areas:

• Management, control and reduction of immediate threats to public health and safety
• Emergency medical care
• Medical sheltering such as when existing facilitates are reasonably forecasted to become overloaded in the future
• Purchase and distribution of food, water, ice, medicine and other consumable supplies, to include PPE and hazardous material suits
• Movement of supplies and people
• Security and law enforcement
• Communications of general health and safety information to the public
• Search and rescue to locate and recover members of the population requiring assistance
• Reimbursement for state, tribe, territory and or local government force account overtime costs, and more

INITIAL REPORT:

President Donald Trump declared a major disaster for Ohio and ordered federal assistance to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by coronavirus.

According to the White House, federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance for areas impacted.

FEMA has named James K. Joseph as the Federal Coordinating Officer for the federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

The government said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state.

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