U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that the New York Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) will receive approximately $103 million in federal aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The funds are reimbursements for repairs made immediately after Superstorm Sandy struck. These are the first funds released to the city’s public hospitals – relied upon by approximately 1.4 million New Yorkers each year. The aid comes a week after Schumer toured Coney Island Hospital and urged FEMA to release this much needed aid as quickly as possible. Schumer noted that this will just be the beginning of federal assistance, and said he will keep fighting until all available funds are delivered.
“New York’s public hospitals, which over one-million New Yorkers rely on every year, were devastated by Superstorm Sandy, and this money will help them get back to their pre-storm state,” said Schumer. “I’ve seen the damage with my own eyes, and it was devastating. I appreciate FEMA listening to our pleas and getting these funds here quickly. This is not the end of the aid that these hospitals will need – not by a long shot – and we’ll keep fighting until the hospitals have been fully restored and they can get back to what they’re good at – helping New Yorkers heal and recover.”
“This is the first step toward helping us get our damaged facilities back to normal, including Bellevue and Coney Island hospitals and the Coler-Goldwater long term care center on Roosevelt Island. These relief funds, which represent our earliest federal aid request for public hospitals following Sandy, are needed to pay for repairs that are already ongoing and which started almost immediately following the storm. We look forward to a continuing partnership with FEMA for funding for additional restoration work. We applaud our New York delegation, and especially Senator Schumer, for their advocacy on behalf of New York’s public hospitals,” said HHC President Alan D. Aviles.
The FEMA aid will go towards 4 HHC hospitals that were gravely damaged by the storm: Bellevue Hospital, Coler- Goldwater Specialty Hospital, Coney Island Hospital and the Metropolitan Hospital Center. Sandy damaged the electrical systems, medical equipment, fuel and water pumps and information technology infrastructure. Additionally, floodwaters caused fuel leakages and the dispersion of debris and contaminants such as asbestos and sewage throughout the flood areas of the aforementioned four hospitals. Over 700 patients from Bellevue Hospital were evacuated due to Sandy as well as 200 patients from Coney Island Hospital.
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Schumer toured the damage at Coney Island Hospital alongside the NYHHC President, Alan Aviles and other hospital officials.