FEMA allocates $24.5 million for repairs to correctional facilities
By The Star Staff
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded nearly $24.5 million for permanent repairs to the facilities of the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation (DCR) due to damage caused by Hurricane Maria.
The funds will address damage to correctional institutions, as well as structures where inmates receive rehabilitation services.
“As the agency responsible for providing custody and rehabilitation to the correctional population, the Department needs facilities that allow its staff to provide quality services,” Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator José Baquero said in a press release issued Sunday. “The agency’s funding seeks to support the standards of the correctional system, while preserving the health and safety of inmates, employees and visitors.”
The Guayama Correctional Complex, with some 1,200 inmates, is the DCR site most in need of reconstruction. The facilities require over $11.3 million for roof treatment to prevent leaks, acrylic domes to protect equipment against wind pressure, replacement of the air conditioners and solar panels, and surge protectors for the electric gates, among other work. Repairs will consider mitigation measures for future atmospheric events.