Q: What are Equipment Cost Codes? When should I apply them to my equipment in the Equipment Module?
A: When a disaster strikes and recovery begins, many times Applicants must call up all available equipment to aid in the recovery process. When Applicants use or rent equipment, they typically will seek reimbursement for those items. The major pitfalls applicants must avoid in this process is overpaying to rent equipment and expecting FEMA to pick up the entire tab. FEMA releases what are known as "Cost Codes" periodically, these are the standard rates at which FEMA will reimburse Applicants for equipment used in the recovery process. ER Assist offers links to these cost codes, a great equipment tracking system, and better yet, the ability to input those cost codes in to the equipment being used.
When setting up your disaster, ER Assist highly recommends applying the Cost Codes, that were in effect at the start of your disaster, to the Equipment tracking module. This will help accurately track the total cost according to FEMA's guidelines. Applicants should apply these codes when setting up the disaster to help minimize costly errors down the road and efficiently track their equipment over the life of the recovery process.
Q: Do the Cost Codes include operator expenses?
A: No, Operator rates are figured separately and are not included in FEMA's Cost Code analysis.