Beaumont City Council to request nearly $300,000 to purchase PPE

At its next meeting April 21, the Beaumont City Council will consider authorizing a grant application to buy nearly $300,000 in personal protective equipment.

If approved, the council would be asking for $283,674 from the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program, A U.S. Department of Justice endeavor. The program has already awarded more than $98 million to various entities across the country, including nearly $42 million for Texas.

Beaumont would use the money to purchase personal protective equipment, air sanitizers, vehicle sanitizers, gloves, masks and also help pay for eligible first-responder overtime, according to the council's agenda packet.

The Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program provides funding to assist eligible states, local units of government, and tribes in preventing, preparing for, and responding to the coronavirus.

Allowable projects and purchases include, but are not limited to, overtime, equipment (including law enforcement and medical personal protective equipment), hiring, supplies (such as gloves, masks, sanitizer), training, travel expenses, and addressing the medical needs of inmates in state, local, and tribal prisons, jails, and detention centers.