Schumer: Federal Funding Must be Approved; PBMC is Vital to the Health and Safety of Eastern LI Residents

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today urged the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to approve Peconic Bay Medical Center's (PBMC) application for hazard mitigation grants that would allow for critical storm and weatherproofing upgrades. The funding would help mitigate against storm-related hazards such as flooding, wind damage, and power interruptions. By allowing PBMC to purchase and install two additional generators toprovide more emergency power, this proposal eliminates the need to rent scarce emergency generators, as the hospital has previously done during major storms. In addition, the hospital would retrofit its roof and upgrade its doors and windows to those made out of "storm-grade' materials. These measures aim to prevent catastrophic flooding and wind damage, ultimately protecting its patients, staff, and visitors, as well PBMC's life-saving equipment.

"The Peconic Bay Medical Center serves hundreds of thousands in Eastern Long Island, and this mitigation project is vital to ensuring the safety of the patients, staff, and visitors that pass through its doors every day," Senator Schumer said. "We need to equip this hospital with the generators and protections it needs to serve our communities, even during the worst of circumstances and so FEMA must swiftly approve this crucial grant."

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