The Pine Ridge Reservation went through severe storms throughout the month of May. Tribal members saw snowfall late as May 20. Photo from Lakota Country Times / Facebook
President Obama signs disaster declaration for Pine Ridge
By Tom Crash
LCT Correspondent PINE RIDGE RESERVATION – “On Friday, August 7, President Obama signed a disaster declaration for Pine Ridge Reservation based on damages caused by heavy spring storms that included extreme snow melt, straightline winds, torrential rains and flooding,” said Del Brewer, the Oglala Sioux Tribe's emergency manager. "The declaration opens the door for FEMA to help with the many damaged homes on the reservation; to be eligible, damages need to have occurred between May 8-29," Brewer added, referring to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. During May many homes were damaged by the spring storms. Flooding took out the culvert on BIA Highway 27 south of XU hill, took out a portion of Highway 2 on the Buffalo Gap road and damaged roads in Slim Buttes and north of the White River bridge on Highway 41. Homeowners may call 800 621-FEMA(3362) for information and assistance. The tribe also set up a disaster recovery center at the SuAnne Big Crow Center on Saturday, August 15, to help homeowners register. "By the end of the week we should have our Disaster Recovery mobile unit in operation as well, providing the same processing opportunities as they move out across the reservation going to Manderson, Porcupine, Kyle, Wanblee and Martin," Brewer said last week. "Once homeowners are registered, inspections will take place and checks from FEMA will be issued shortly thereafter – inspections will get underway on Thursday," Brewer added. Assistance includes grants for temporary housing and home repairs and replacement of essential household items not covered by insurance to make damaged dwellings safe, sanitary and functional; grants to replace personal property and help meet medical, dental, funeral, transportation and other serious disaster related needs; unemployment payments for up to 26 weeks for workers who temporarily lost jobs because of the disaster; low interest loans to cover uninsured losses to small businesses and small ag coops. According to Brewer, roads are not included yet in the declaration.
"We are currently doing a damage assessment and when it’s finished, we will request an add on from the White House," he said.
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President Obama signs disaster declaration for Oglala Sioux Tribe
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