Public assistance closeout process
powered by grants team hard work
By Kelsi Eccles
F
unding provided through
the Federal Emergency
Management Agency’s
Public Assistance program often
faces an extensive closeout
process, however the Georgia
Emergency Management and
Homeland Security Agency staff
work hard to expedite the process
and finalize old projects.
“We’ve been very successful
in closing old disasters, only
through the incredibly hard work
of the grant specialists and grant
specialists’ supervisors,” said
Charlie Dawson, GEMA/HS
Public Assistance and Recovery
Division Manager. “At the same
time that we’ve closed out these old
disasters, we’ve had multiple other
disasters hit,” he said.
During a 12-month span from late
2016 to 2017, GEMA/HS’ grant
team managed four presidentially
declared disasters and two fire
disasters; the team was still able
to complete 12 previous disasters.
GEMA/HS’ efforts don’t go
unnoticed; Thomas McCool, FEMA
Federal Coordinating Officer
for Hurricane Irma, commended
GEMA/HS staff’s efforts during this
time.
“In the last 18 months, the state
of Georgia had Presidential
Disaster Declarations for Hurricane
Matthew, Hurricane Irma, two
different tornadoes in Albany and
two Fire Management Assistance
Grants,” said McCool.
The closeout process often takes
years depending on the amount of
Photo by FEMA Graphics
20