FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 3, 2003LARSON ANNOUNCES $50,000 FEDERAL GRANT FOR HARTFORD
HARTFORD- U.S. Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01) today announced that the City of Hartford has been awarded a $50,000 federal Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) grant to help community-based organizations develop local volunteer medical emergency and public health response capabilities. The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
"This grant empowers community organizations to support our first responders in their critical work," said Larson. "It allows residents to work in partnership with established public health and medical emergency response systems to serve their community, and I am thrilled that the City of Hartford has been awarded this grant."
The creation of a Medical Reserve Corps under the intent and design of the USA Freedom Corps concept will allow the City of Hartford and the member communities of the Capital Region Emergency Planning Committee (CREPC) to achieve the goals and objectives of the Regional Emergency Disaster Plan, thus helping to ensure the efficient delivery of medical services in the event of a regional emergency. Additionally, the planning efforts of the Capitol Region MRC will be coordinated closely with those of the Connecticut MRC grantee at the Yale New Haven Health System.
Katherine McCormack, Director of Emergency Management for the City of Hartford stated, "This opportunity allows the City of Hartford to further enhance its relationship and its resources available through the regional planning model supported by the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG)."
The Department of Health and Humans Services announced 167 Medical Reserve Corps grants for communities across the nation, totaling over $8 million.
Congressman Larson wrote a letter on August 12 to Michael Brown, the Undersecretary of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, urging the department to award the grant to the City of Hartford.
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