U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
Please see the advisory below from our partners in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regarding an update on the Whole-of-America response to COVID-19.
April 2, 2020
FEMA Advisory
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: Daily Briefing Points
Attached you will find today’s FEMA Daily Briefing Points for the whole-of-America response to coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. These briefing points include Topline Messages, as well as information associated with Medical Hotspots; FEMA and Department of Health and Human Services Response; FEMA Disaster Response Capacity; Federal Funding of National Guard (Title 32); Community-Based Testing Sites; Strategic National Stockpile; FDA Ventilator Guidance, CDC Respirator Guidance; Defense Production Act; Guidance from Federal Agencies; CDC Public Guidance; Coping With Stress; Combating Disinformation and Rumors; and How To Help.
Topline messaging includes the following:
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Under the direction of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, FEMA, HHS and our federal partners are working with state, local, tribal and territorial governments to execute a whole of America response to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and protect the public.
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The health and safety of the American people are our top priority.
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On March 31, the president extended the nation’s Slow the Spread campaign until April 30.
- The American people play a key role in the campaign to help slow the virus’ spread and keep our most high-risk populations safe.
- The initiative presents the entire country with an opportunity to implement actions designed to slow and limit the spread of COVID-19, like staying home as much as much as possible, canceling or postponing gatherings of more than 10 people, and taking additional steps to distance yourself from other people.
- For the latest updates and information on how to protect yourself and what to do if you think you are sick is available at www.coronavirus.gov.
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On March 27, President Trump signed the CARES Act into law. The CARES Act allocates $2 trillion to COVID-19 response efforts.
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FEMA is expediting movement of critical supplies from the global market to medical distributors in various locations across the U.S.
- FEMA coordinated an air bridge for flights from Asia beginning Sunday, March 29 which delivered 80 tons of much needed PPE supplies to New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
- Additional flights have landed in Chicago on March 30 as well as in Miami on March 31, and Los Angeles on April 1. Additional flights landed in Chicago and Columbus, Ohio early this morning. FEMA has more flights scheduled and is adding more daily.
- Each flight will contain critical personal protective equipment (PPE), to include gloves, gowns, goggles, and masks in varying quantities. FEMA will not have detailed visibility on the amount of PPE until the flights are loaded overseas.
- Upon arrival, the PPE will be provided, in varying quantities, first to medical distributors in areas of greatest need; then, the remainder will be infused into the broader U.S. supply chain. Prioritization will be given to hospitals, health care facilities, and nursing homes around the country
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Given the scarcity of the ventilators in the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) and the current capacity of the private sector to meet the demand, the federal government has adopted a process to manage federal ventilator resources to ensure the ventilators are shipped to the states in the amount needed to manage the immediate crisis.
- At present, the federal government has 9,961 total ventilators available, which includes 9,054 in the Strategic National Stockpile and 907 available from the Department of Defense.
- To submit a request, states and tribes will work through their FEMA/ HHS regional leadership.
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In the past 48 hours, FEMA and HHS have delivered ventilators from the Strategic National Stockpile to Michigan (400), New Jersey (650), Illinois (150), Connecticut (50) and Louisiana (150).
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FEMA will notify direct housing occupants in the states of California, Florida, North Carolina and Texas that they would suspend rent payment requirements for the months of April, May and June as a result of the ongoing impacts of COVID-19.
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Thirty states and 12 tribes have issued stay at home orders.
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FEMA Mission
To help people before, during and after disasters.