$1M in FEMA funds for power generators to serve communities
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that it has allocated more than $1 million in funding for generator projects designed to help mitigate future disasters in facilities in Bayamón and Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.
The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds will provide essential services to communities during power outages or future natural disasters. To date, the agency has awarded nearly $415.3 million under the program for the installation of generators in multiple projects.
“Guaranteeing power during an emergency is critical for communities. This is one of the measures that FEMA is working on to strengthen the preparedness of government agencies and nonprofit organizations that will serve Puerto Rico during a future response,” said Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator José G. Baquero.
The Onofre Carballeira Coliseum — which includes the premises of the Rubén Rodríguez Coliseum and the Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium in Bayamón — is one of the facilities where nearly $248,000 from the agency was invested. With these funds, two 500-kilowatt and 480-volt generators were purchased to protect against the impact of future natural events.
The location is key for the municipality as it serves as a shelter for some 140 people and as a distribution center for food, water and other essential resources to the community after a disaster, the agency said.
Another project in Bayamón involves installing emergency generators in 11 water distribution plants of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct & Sewer Authority, serving several communities in the municipality. The installation of these generators, funded by more than $670,000 from the agency, provides essential support to some 16,000 families during an interruption of the energy service, FEMA officials said.
Meanwhile, the Home for the Elderly of the College of Engineers and Surveyors of Puerto Rico (CIAPR, in Spanish) also received more than $117,000 for energy backup that already benefits its residents. The allocation allowed the installation of a 125-kilowatt emergency generator with a 583‑gallon gasoline tank.
CIAPR President Faustino González-Quiles explained that the previous 60-kilowatt generator had been operating for more than 30 years. The new generator now provides electricity to the common area of each floor and will ensure that residents have access to a refrigerator with medicine and water during emergencies.
“This generator contributes to guaranteeing the well-being of the elderly in emergency situations,” González-Quiles said.
CIAPR’s Home for the Elderly has 101 apartments for low-income seniors and has operated for more than 50 years. The building also has terraces, a passive park, a common laundry area, a room for activities and a chapel, among other amenities.
