FEMA Awards More Than $26 Million to New Hampshire Entities for COVID Costs

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending over $26 million to the State of New Hampshire and Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital to reimburse them for costs incurred responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

One Public Assistance grant of $24,410,106 will go to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services for the cost of staffing a network vaccination sites for the public.

The state contracted with On-Site Medical Services for personnel to run 5 fixed and 93 mobile vaccine sites state-wide, which provided distribution and administration of vaccinations to approximately 36,727 homebound individuals, school staff, and other vulnerable individuals. The cost of the vaccines was not included. 

A second Public Assistance grant will provide $1,770,931 in federal funding to Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital for the cost of setting up a testing system for the Hanover-based hospital’s staff and patients, part of the Dartmouth Health system.

Mary Hitchcock purchased just over 30,000 antigen test kits as well as equipment for processing the tests inhouse. The hospital also contracted Cronin and Company for the creation and dissemination of various public service announcements regarding the COVID-19 Pandemic.

“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist to the State of New Hampshire and Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital with these costs,” said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. “Reimbursing state, county, and municipal governments – as well as eligible non-profits and tribal entities – for the costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic is an important part of our nation’s ongoing recovery.”

FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency.

So far, FEMA has provided more than $286 million in Public Assistance grants to New Hampshire to reimburse the state for pandemic-related expenses.