The Sovereign Tribal Nation Of The Havasupai Tribe And FEMA Sign Formal Disaster Aid Agreement | WPN World People News

The signing of a formal agreement to implement federal disaster assistance to the Sovereign Tribal Nation of the Havasupai Tribe (Havasupai) will take place on Thursday, January 27, 2011. The ceremony, conducted with representatives of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and tribal leadership, reflects the working partnership developed to assist the Havasupai with their recovery from flooding that occurred October 3-6, 2010.

“The Havasupai Tribe is grateful for the support of the State of Arizona Governor Janice Brewer and President Barack Obama. We look forward to working with FEMA officials to execute the recovery plan so our people can get back on their feet,” said Tribal Coordinating Officer Bernadine Jones, “We are proud to be a grantee and to be able to receive FEMA funds directly to the Tribe. This action strengthens the sovereignty of the Tribe.”

The Presidential disaster declaration for this flooding event made FEMA’s Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs available to the tribe. “I am pleased to partner with the Havasupai leadership in addressing their disaster-related needs,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Mike Karl. “Our team of public assistance and mitigation specialists will continue to work closely with Tribal members to document all eligible costs and damages and to make funds available to assist with repairs and improvements.”

FEMA’s Public Assistance Program provides supplemental funding to state, tribal and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations to help them recover from disasters. It partially reimburses eligible applicants for extraordinary costs incurred while responding to a disaster and costs related to restore damaged infrastructure.

FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides funds to supplement those of eligible applicants to undertake projects that build resilience and eliminate or reduce damage in future hazardous events.

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency