FEMA and Our Partners Continue to Support State-Managed Coronavirus Response

“My current focus has been and will continue to be to make sure we get critical supplies to those places around the country that need them the most.” – FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor

The federal government continues taking aggressive and proactive steps to address the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The health and safety of the American people is our top priority.

We are halfway through 15 Days to Slow the Spread. Do your part to flatten the curve:
• Stay home as much as much as possible.
• If you need to go out, practice social distancing.

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 government response to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and protect the public. Seventeen states and 4 tribes have issued shelter-in-place orders in addition to eight states that have issued partial or localized orders and one state has that issued orders for certain at-risk groups only.

On March 22, President Trump directed the Secretary of Defense to allow the states of California, New York and Washington use of the National Guard in a Title 32 status to support state and local emergency assistance efforts. This allows the governors to activate the National Guard to support their disaster response efforts, on a fully reimbursable basis and under their respective command and control, if that becomes necessary. Additional states can request this assistance and those requests will be considered.

On March 13, 2020, President Trump declared a nationwide emergency pursuant to Sec. 501(b) of Stafford Act. The President’s action cuts red tape and bureaucracy and avoids governors needing to request individual emergency declarations. In addition, the states of California, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Maryland, Missouri, Texas and Washington were approved for major disaster declarations to assist with additional needs identified in these states.

As of March 26, FEMA has shipped over 9 million N-95 masks, 20 million surgical/face masks, 3.1 million face shields, nearly 6,000 ventilators, 2.6 million gowns, and 14.6 million gloves. We are sending more every day, and we are working nonstop to acquire or produce even more.

Please see attached for updated information on Medical Hotspots, the federal response efforts, Community Based Testing Sites (CBTS), Ventilator Guidance, Coping with Stress, Defense Production Act, Disinformation and Rumor Control, How to Help for volunteers and the private sector, and the Strategic National Stockpile.