Virginia to receive federal funding for first-responder hotel stays

Virginia’s first-responders and essential personnel working on the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic will be able to stay in hotels at no cost to the state, thanks to Federal Emergency Management Agency funding announced Friday.

State Health Commissioner M. Norman Oliver had signed an order April 9 for “non-congregant sheltering” to be made available “to serve the first-responder workforce … who seek such shelter and to support this critical workforce.”

The order defined “first-responder workforce” as fire, EMS, law enforcement, emergency management and certain public health workers.

“First responders are at an enhanced risk of exposure to the COVID-19 virus,” said Dr. Jeff Stern, State Coordinator of Emergency Management. “As we seek to stem the spread of the virus, it is critically important that we offer these essential emergency service providers access to safe, convenient forms of shelter so that they may continue to do their jobs fighting the pandemic and also not risk exposing others – especially their families – by going to their homes between their shifts.”

The state will pay for the hotel stays and then be reimbursed by FEMA’s Public Assistance Program.