CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Charleston City Council approved an agreement Monday between the city and the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department (KCHD) for the city’s provision of and reimbursement for mutual aid rendered to KCHD in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jonathan Storage, Charleston City Manager told 580-WCHS that agreement is a tool that allows the city to tap into federal resources with FEMA to seek reimbursements for labor types of expenses.
“This agreement would allow the city of Charleston to seek reimbursement for labor. Think of our EMT or EMS workers who are helping out with vaccination clinics, with testing and call centers,” Storage said.
According to the city manager, operating one day of a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center (CCCC) costs the city $9,400 worth of revenue factoring in labor and venue rental rates for the facility.
City workers at the clinics include an emergency response manager, the homeland security director, Charleston Fire Department staff and EMS workers, and city organization and administrative staff that help with logistics such as checking people in and taking temperatures. Storage noted the Charleston Police Department and staff at the CCCC also work the clinics.
VIEW: The complete agreement between the city and KCHD
Storage said the KCHD is the primary contact with FEMA as it relates to a health crisis and FEMA is reimbursing for aiding and supplying labor during the pandemic. He said it basically is the city acting as a contractor for the health department.
“FEMA has advised that not only the city, the county, the Kanawha County Ambulance Authority and others, need to have the agreements in place with the health department as the principal cost of agent for the health crisis who would then work with FEMA directly,” Storage said.
For the timing of the announcement, Storage said it has to do with local governments no longer receiving CARES Act reimbursement through the state. That funding expired at the end of 2020.