Washington – To assist with the crisis that this week’s earthquakes unleashed on the Island, the US Department of Health declared a health emergency in Puerto Rico.
“We are concerned with the potential impact of the earthquakes on the lives of our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico,” said Federal Health Secretary Alex Azar.
The statement allows health centers to have sufficient flexibility in the use of federal funds and the provision of services, Azar said.
Last night, President Donald Trump declared an emergency on the Island, to allow FEMA to assist with emergency tasks, which will be funded by 75% by the federal government.
Secretary Azar said that the medical teams of the National Medical System of Disasters and the Commissioned Corps of the US Public Health Service. UU., Equipment and supplies will be available to the authorities of the Island.
After this week’s earthquakes, more than 2,000 people are refugees, after some 300 residences were damaged, as well as schools and other structures, and 60% of the Island was left without power.
Under President Trump’s statement, FEMA has the authority to “identify, mobilize and provide, at its discretion, the necessary equipment and resources to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.”
Two FEMA teams for incident management were mobilized to Puerto Rico. In addition, the FEMA Response Operations Group in Washington, D.C. and the Regional Response Coordination Center in New York are activated.
