Opinion

Max Baucus: Tribal 'heroes' took action on flooding in Montana

Monday, June 20, 2011

"Our great state has faced severe and unrelenting flooding for the past several weeks. As water levels rise, Montanans across the state are stepping up to help. This is the essence of what it means to be a Montanan — ordinary folks doing extraordinary things for their friends and neighbors. We are all in this together.

That’s why I have been calling attention to the “Montana Heroes” going above and beyond the call of duty in the flood response. The inspiring stories of neighbors helping neighbors remind us all that we are at our best as Montanans when we are working together. Please join me in recognizing the following people chosen over the last few weeks as our “Montana Heroes of the Day.”

At Crow Agency April Toineeta worked with the Red Cross to set up shelter for flood victims and made sure the Indian Health Service had the latest information about where medical care was most urgently needed. April has been working 18-hour days catching an hour or two of sleep on the floor of the Crow Housing Authority.

In Box Elder Bruce Sunchild, interim chairman of the Chippewa Cree Tribe, has coordinated disaster response efforts at every level from housing to public infrastructure to making sure tribal members with specific health needs were able to be evacuated first. He’s also spearheading the ongoing disinfection of wells contaminated by floodwaters.

Darin Falcon, director of the Fort Peck Tribes Indian Reservation Roads Department, has gone the extra mile working around the clock on the construction of berms and dikes to protect the community."

Get the Story:
Sen. Max Baucus: ‘Montana Heroes’ respond to flooding (The Billings Gazette 6/19)