Guam secures $16M FEMA grant to fund second backup generator for hospital

By Jayvee Vallejera

Guam Memorial Hospital has obtained federal funding for a second generator to ensure stable, uninterrupted emergency power during extended outages.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is awarding GMH $16 million for a backup power source, plus $94,354.51 for project management costs, without a local match requirement.

The funding is being awarded through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program following Typhoon Mawar.

FEMA is also providing more than $401,000 to the University of Guam for three hazard mitigation initiatives.

Guam Del. James Moylan said this federal investment will help provide GMH with a reliable secondary power source, strengthen the hospital’s emergency preparedness and ensure it can continue providing critical care.

“Keeping GMH operational during and after a disaster is not optional; it is essential to protecting our people,” Moylan said. “The recent storms we’ve weathered have shown us how important it is to strengthen Guam’s critical infrastructure.”

Sen. Sabrina Salas Matanane, who chairs the legislative committee on health, , welcomed the grant award.

“I really want to give credit to the people at GMH, Dr. Joleen Aguon and her team, who worked on this and kept pushing,” Matanane said.

Moylan said FEMA will obligate the funding directly to the Guam government.

The award was authorized through a federal disaster declaration issued on May 25, 2023, after Typhoon Mawar hit Guam.

The typhoon’s 140 mph winds left much of the island without power or access to water for several days. Restoration work took weeks.

At the legislature, GMH officials are supporting a bill to dedicate government revenues to permanent capital infrastructure improvements at GMH.

In a public hearing on Bill 342-38 held Thursday, GMH officials underscored the urgent, ongoing need to invest in critical infrastructure and life-safety systems at GMH.

Dr. Joleen Aguon, GMH administrator, emphasized the importance of securing dedicated funding for capital improvement projects and the critical, life-saving infrastructure needed to keep the hospital safe and fully operational.

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Introduced by Vice Speaker V. Anthony Ada, Bill 342-38 would create the GMH Capital Preservation Fund and channel revenues generated through Guam’s tax amnesty program to GMH for its capital improvement needs.

By limiting this funding to capital improvements—including essential building, utility, and life-safety systems—the bill seeks to ensure that these one-time revenues are invested in durable hospital needs rather than recurring operating expenses.

Ada said Guam absolutely needs a new hospital, but it will take years to plan, finance, and build.

“In the meantime, patients are walking through the doors of GMH every day, and our doctors, nurses, and hospital employees are working endless hours in that facility. We have a responsibility to make sure the hospital they depend on remains safe and capable of providing quality care,” he said.

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