Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness

Indian nations always have and always will seek to protect the territories they have forever called their homelands.  Tribal officials are not included in the current dialogue about national homeland security advisory systems and emergency preparedness and planning in spite of the fact that critical facilities are located on and adjacent to tribal lands.  The effort by the federal government in developing a comprehensive national homeland security strategy is moving quite rapidly.  Millions of dollars have gone to state, county and municipal anti-terrorism and emergency response programs, but tribal governments are not included in funding for similar readiness activities on a government to government basis.  Most tribal law enforcement agencies, fire departments and emergency medical service providers lack essential equipment and training for homeland security capacity building needs.  Tribal governments are faced with additional requirements and unfunded mandates that impose significant burdens for governmental functions for disaster planning, mitigation and response programs.  The NCAI is working to ensure that tribal governments are included as full and active partners in implementation of federal homeland security measures.

Emergency Management Framework for Tribal Governments: This course provides tribal leaders and representatives with a basic understanding of emergency management principles and their role in leading and directing their tribes in developing and implementing comprehensive emergency management systems.

Emergency Management and Homeland Security Related Articles  

• Tribes Say Homeland Security Funds Not Trickling Down (2005/07/25)
• Fire Chief: "Tribal Trials" (2005/07/01)
• Salt Lake Tribune - Tribe Battles Huge Wave of Immigrants
• NCAI Draft Homeland Security Legislation [pdf] [doc]
• Homeland Security Legislative Update
• Federal Communications Commission Review of Emergency Alert System, Broadcast #04-063, 9/16/2004
• H.R. 3266 (Consensus Version)
• NCAI Sentinel Winter 2005

Documents 

• State and Urban Area Homeland Security Strategy: Guidance on Aligning Strategies with the Emergency Preparedness Goal (2005/07/22)
• Tribal Participation in the State and Urban Area Homeland Security Strategy [pdf] [doc]
• Homeland Security Fact Sheet
• Homeland Security Quote Sheet
• Tex Hall's letter to House Commitee on Homeland Security, re: Lack of Tribal Funding (10/16/03)

Links

• To review S.578 or its companion bill, H.R.2242 enter the appropriate bill numbers on the THOMAS web site.
• International Fire Chiefs Association and National Native Fire Chiefs Association
• Department of Homeland Security
• Department of Homeland Security - Federal Emergency Management Agency Tribal Information
• National Native American EMS Association

National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)
1516 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202) 466-7767, Fax: (202) 466-7797
Email: ncai@ncai.org

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