FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.
Last week, Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell was in the territory for the third time to review recovery progress and receive updates on the USVI’s readiness to respond to future events.
During this visit to St. Thomas, she made stops at Government House, the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency, and the Charlotte Kimelman Cancer Institute (CKCI). “FEMA remains committed to ensuring USVI builds back stronger, and more resilient, than ever,” Ms. Criswell declared.
“It was a pleasure to join Governor Albert Bryan in the United States Virgin Islands to check in on the recovery from Hurricanes Irma and Maria,” the FEMA administrator said. She noted that the $54.7 million obligated for the restoration and content replacement of the CKCI means that the oncology center will continue being able to “allow Eastern Caribbean residents to receive cancer treatments closer to home.”
Mr. Bryan, who accompanied Ms. Griswell on her tour of CKCI following their meeting at Government House, expressed gratitude for FEMA’s partnership and the administrator’s ongoing support. “Her visits not only reaffirm our collective commitment to the recovery efforts but also ensure that we are better prepared for future challenges,” he remarked. “Together, we are not just rebuilding the U.S. Virgin Islands; we are transforming our beloved territory into a safer, stronger, and more sustainable home for all our residents."
Ms. Criswell also learned, during her meeting with VITEMA Director Daryl Jaschen, how the territory was preparing for the possibility of severe weather during the 2024 hurricane season. According to a press release issued by FEMA on Wednesday, the local and federal emergency officials “focused on how FEMA’s partnership with the territory could strengthen VITEMA’s capacity to respond to all hazards that pose a threat to the U.S. Virgin Islands.”
