The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending almost $1.2 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse Lawrence General Hospital for the cost of paying staff for additional hours worked during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The $1,155,406 Public Assistance grant will reimburse the 189-bed general hospital in Lawrence for the cost of paying staff for additional hours worked to respond to the surge in patents caused by pandemic between March and July 2020.
Lawrence General Hospital paid 759 medical personnel, including registered nurses, certified medical assistants, lab technicians, surgical technicians, paramedics, and pharmacy technicians for a total of 42,010 hours worked treating confirmed or suspected COVID patients.
“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist Lawrence General 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 $2.8 billion in Public Assistance grants to Massachusetts to reimburse the commonwealth for pandemic-related expenses.