RICHMOND – The Virginia Department of Emergency Management announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has selected a Virginia locality as one of twelve jurisdictions nationwide to be awarded Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP) funds. The City of Virginia Beach, which was awarded $836,403, will use these funds to support activities and initiatives designed to build capacity and develop innovative regional solutions for issues and gaps related to catastrophic incidents.
“FEMA continues to recognize the importance of investing in Virginia’s coastal region,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian Moran. “Virginia Beach faces a particularly challenging set of circumstances and will use this funding to support disaster response planning.”
“Virginia has several jurisdictions in this region that face a variety of unique threats by virtue of being densely populated areas along the coast. These areas also contain many vulnerable communities that are disproportionately impacted by disasters,” said VDEM State Coordinator Curtis Brown. “This funding will build on existing critical efforts already being made to ensure the region’s ability to prepare, respond, and recover to all hazards.”
The RCPGP plays an important role in achieving the National Preparedness Goal of a secure and resilient nation. It provides resources to close known capability gaps in Housing and Logistics and Supply Chain Management, encouraging regional collaboration and planning efforts. Project implementation will begin in September 2020 and be completed by August 2023.
“Our city deeply appreciates FEMA’s vote of confidence,” said Virginia Beach Mayor “Bobby” Dyer. “This funding will help Virginia Beach and the region address a gap in providing housing options after a disaster and will assist in improving our capability in recovery.”
To learn more about the FY 2020 RCPGP program, visit https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/regional-catastrophic