Posted on 09/24/2005 5:26:28 AM PDT by Ellesu
State health officials have received $352 million from the federal government for storm expenses, but they say that's way too much. Department of Health and Hospitals' officials are baffled as to how the federal government arrived at the amount.
DHH expects to spend, at most, $60 million, DHH Undersecretary Charles Castille said.
"I don't know where that money came from," Castille said Friday. "We haven't spent anywhere near that much since Katrina."
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is distributing disaster relief to state and local agencies. To date, about $676 million has been allocated.
The money is used to reimburse agencies for funds they've spent on the storm.
Agencies work with FEMA and the state Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness to fill out forms requesting the funds.
"We could probably justify an expense of $10 million since the crisis began," Castille said. "We've also estimated, and this is a rough calculation, expending $60 million."
FEMA spokesman Don Jacks said DHH requested the money Sept. 8 based on operating expenses for special-needs shelters and hospitals.
DHH spent $9.6 million a day on shelters in the first five days after the storm and expected to spend millions more over the next two months, he said.
"Someone back there on Sept. 8 said they would need … $352 million," he said.
The agency ended up not running the shelters at full capacity for as long as it originally thought it would, he said.
DHH later realized it only needed $10 million in initial funds and gave the rest of the money back to the state, Jacks said.
The remaining money will be on hold for DHH's future use, he said.
"We do anticipate we will have more and more expenses," Jacks said.
"Someone back there on Sept. 8 said they would need … $352 million," he said.
Jezz, if they gave too little they would scream, now they gave too much. Some people are never satisfied. JUST SEND IT BACK AND SAY THANK YOU. I am sure someone else needs it.
"State health officials have received $352 million from the federal government...... DHH expects to spend, at most, $60 million "
Oh well couple tens of millions - it's only money... (yours)
Hey... Yoo-hoo, over here, yeah you - it was me.
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