Press Releases

PRESS STATEMENT

CONGRESSWOMAN STACEY PLASKETT ANNOUNCES GRANT WORTH OVER $5 MILLION FROM FEMA FOR THE CHARLES A. “TAPPY” SEALES (GROVE PLACE) FIRE STATION RETROFIT PROJECT

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI), a Member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, released the following statement regarding a $5 million grant from FEMA to go towards Charles A. “Tappy” Seales (Grove Place) Fire Station Retrofit Project:

“Today, I am pleased to announce an important grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The grant is for $$4,995,000.00 federal funding will fund the retrofit and upgrade of the fire station and its components to ensure operational capacity and continuity of services including placement of functional areas to exceed the current ABFE’s for the 500-year flood zone (as required for critical facilities). The station will also be retrofitted to exceed the USVI’s recently adopted IBC 2018, and the 180 mph Design Wind Speed for the USVI in accordance with ASCE 7-16 for wind risks associated with Risk Category IV (critical facilities). The retrofit will include safe room construction in order to enable the facility to continue to function as a coordination point during emergency response operations, to ensure continuity of critical functions as well as to ensure the life safety of personnel performing critical emergency response functions during an emergency, including installation of a 100kw generator and transfer switch for generator, as required. The 300 sq. ft. safe room will be capable of housing 30 people.

“This important grant will benefit the Virgin Islands tremendously with our ongoing rebuilding efforts making the Virgin Islands whole again after experiencing two devastating hurricanes. The United States government and the international community has an obligation to work with the affected local governments to restore infrastructure, provide critical humanitarian assistance, and help recover and build back our islands.”

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