FEMA Funds Flood Protection At Memorial Hermann Hospital 

Release Date: October 5, 2005
Release Number: R6-05-093

DENTON, Texas -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency ( FEMA) announced today it has obligated over $13 million to the State of Texas for relocation and elevation of critical mechanical, electrical, plumbing and data center functions at Memorial Hermann Hospital, located in the Texas Medical Center. This mitigation measure will protect critical equipment and the data center from future flooding events. In the four years since Tropical Storm Allison flooded southeast Texas , FEMA has funded over $200 million in mitigation projects in the Houston area to reduce future flood losses.

"We know that mitigation efforts work. Flood protection measures save money and keep organizations running," said David Paulison, Acting Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response. "The work at Memorial Hermann will help prevent losses like those caused by Tropical Storm Allison."

FEMA provides 75 percent of eligible project costs and the remaining 25 percent comes from local resources. Where feasible, recovery efforts incorporate mitigation measures to help protect against possible future flooding.

The federal funds are made available under the FEMA Public Assistance Program. The State of Texas administers the program under which eligible disaster-related costs are reimbursed to government units and certain non-profit organizations providing essential government-like services in the areas of emergency protective measures, debris removal and restoration of public facilities.

FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, work with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

Last Modified: Thursday, 06-Oct-2005 07:37:26