Reporters Question Use of FEMA Funds During Hurricane Sandy

John Mitty Sunday, January 19, 2014

According to a recent investigation, Long Island officials may have used FEMA funds provided for relief during Hurricane Sandy on superfluous purchases instead of on critical disaster relief measures.  According to Newsday, FEMA provided $474 million for disaster relief.  $80 million of those expenditures were itemized.  A close look at those itemized purchases reveals that officials spent money on generators which were never put to use, as well as clothing, catering, iPads, MacBook Pro computers, and other expensive portable technology.   

Nassau County spokesman Brian Nevin responded to questions about the iPads and other unusual items, stating that all of them were necessary for responders during the crisis.  The clothing, he stated, was waterproof, and the generators were needed as a backup source of power.  The iPads apparently were needed to facilitate communication between emergency response team members.  All were logged under a category called “emergency protective measures.”  While Newsday’s journalists are critical of the purchases, experts have pointed out that when money is provided, it will often be spent.  Regardless of the necessity of the purchases listed under “emergency protective measures,” the incident sheds light on the importance of oversight in the provision of government money and the challenges of distributing funds during times of crisis.

jmitty@longislandyellowpages.com

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