Lawmakers seeking rural COVID-19 response coordination

Senate lawmakers are urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to galvanize Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of the Interior (DOI) efforts to enhance rural COVID-19 response coordination.

Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) joined 22 other legislators in forwarding correspondence to FEMA, requesting thousands of federal civil servants possessing experience with rapid emergency response to be allowed to assist rural communities overwhelmed by the COVID-19 challenges.

“We write to request your immediate assistance in mobilizing your agencies to offer coordinated support for rural counties, municipalities, and tribal communities as they respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19),” the senators wrote in the letter to FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor, USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and DOI Secretary David Bernhardt. “Rural communities are working to set up local emergency operation centers to help manage their response, but face challenges with limited staff capacity. Across many of our states, rural counties are experiencing outbreaks and some communities are already overwhelmed with the challenge.”

The lawmakers maintain personnel whose services they are requesting are qualified in emergency management.

“We believe these federal professionals are well suited to partner with rural counties and municipalities to enhance staff capacity and support communities facing this public health crisis,” the senators concluded. “Therefore, in light of the national emergency declaration, we urge you to take immediate steps to ensure your agencies are working together to make your respective staff and resources available and able to assist with emergency response to COVID-19 across the country.”