JIM WILLIAMS, SUPERINTENDENT BIA TRUXTON CAÑON AGENCY

RECOGNIZED FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE WORK

Particularly regarding response, assessment and recovery for the 2008-2010

Havasupai Reservation floods

Rodney McVey, Deputy Director, Trust Service, presents the award December 22, 2011.

Pictures are of Mr. WilliamsAssisting trail evaluation, August, 2008

Pictures, Michael Redhair

THE CITATION

MR. WILLIAMS’ TEAM

Mr. Chuck McHugh, Deputy Director Operations, Arizona Division of Emergency ManagementMr. Rodney McVey, BIA Western Region Deputy Director Trust ResourcesMr. Jim Calacal, Emergency Program Specialist, Federal Emergency Management Agency

MR. WILLIAMS’ TEAM

Mr. Lou Trammell, Director, Arizona Division of Emergency Management

Governors Napolitano and Brewer and their Native American Liaison staffers

MR. WILLIAMS’ TEAM

Coconino County Emergency Management

Havasupai Emergency Response Training Sponsored by County – Picture provided by Paul Hellenberg

Evacuation – Picture, Angela Mattei

County Emergency Management and Tribe Building a Partnership – Picture provided by Paul Hellenberg

MR. WILLIAMS’ TEAM

The Air National Guard

Pictures by Angela Mattei

MR. WILLIAMS’ TEAM

Arizona Geological Survey

Director Lee Allison

Bryan Gootee,Research Geologist

Tribal Council, Key Employees, Mitigation Plan Staff, ADEM, FEMA and Other Dignitaries at the January 2011

Disaster Declaration Signing. This declaration Represented a new way for Tribes to work directly with FEMA . Picture - Brian Gootee

Byron Manakaja,Havasupai Hydrolgist-in-Training and all

Things Regarding Community Flood

Recovery Assessing October 2010 Flood

Picture - Bryan Gootee

MR. WILLIAMS’ TEAM

National Park Service

Pictures by Angela Mattei and NPS Trail Evaluation Team

MR. WILLIAMS’ TEAM

Bryan Bowker, Allen Anspach, Rodney McVey, William Walker Regional Directors

MR. WILLIAMS’ TEAM

BIA Law Enforcement

Picture by Angela Mattei

MR. WILLIAMS’ TEAM

Agency Staff

MR. WILLIAMS’ TEAM

Hualapai Tribal Emergency Services

Picture by Angela Mattei

MR. WILLIAMS’ TEAM

The Red Cross

Picture by Angela Mattei

MR. WILLIAMS’ TEAM

Edmond Tilousi, Agricultural Program Coordinator, Dally Hanna, Agricultural Program Operator.Pictures – Clarence Begay, David N. Smith.

Michael Brownfield, Havasupai Tribal Campground RangerPicture, Bob Hetzler

MR. WILLIAMS’ TEAM

Tribal Council, Havasupai Wranglers, Air West Aviation.Pictures - David N. Smith, Michael Redhair, Chris English

MR. WILLIAMS’ TEAM

Michael Redhair, Roads Engineer, Trail /Bridge Evaluation.Pictures - Joe DeHoyos

MR. WILLIAMS’ TEAM

Mr. Joe DeHoyos, Roads technician, Trail Evaluation.Pictures - Clarence Begay,

MR. WILLIAMS’ TEAM

Clarence Begay, Agricultural /Structural Engineer – Irrigation/BridgesPicture - Michael Redhair

MR. WILLIAMS’ TEAM

Carlos Nosie, Fuels Specialist, Debris Removal Evaluation.Pictures - Bob Hetzler, David N. Smith.

MR. WILLIAMS’ TEAM

David N. Smith, Range Conservationist, Agricuture and Campground Evaluation BAER Procedure Suport. Also shown, Jackson Brownfield, Havasupai TribePictures - Carlos Nosie, Bob Hetzler .

MR. WILLIAMS’ TEAM

Bob Hetzler, Soil Scientist, Agriculture, Debris Flow, Potable Water, Recreation Evaluator, GIS Specialist.Picture - Joe DeHoyos

MR. WILLIAMS’ TEAM

Garry Cantley, Regional Archaeologist, Edmond Tilousi, Tribal Cultural SpecialistPictures – Chris English

TRUXTON CAÑON AGENCYEMERGENCY RESPONSE

Has required coordination with many institutional players and people from many disciplines.

Has worked within the existing structure of the Stafford Act.

Has been a learning experience for all. One of the best lessons learned by the State

At least 50% of Arizona’s Native American population live off-reservation, paying taxes supporting the State’s Emergency Response fund. This fact was the final justification for the State to respond to the Havasupai and other reservation emergencies with a stronger Government to Government basis.

tce 20111228_0930

The 2008 Assessment and subsequent report, based on wildland fire Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Planning, was circulated widely electronically and in a printed and bound format. The largest monetary response was from Southern California’s San Manual Band of Mission Indians, cultural cousins to the Havasupai. San Manuel donated $1,000,000, supplementing the funding and support of the other contributors. Work done between October 2008 and May 2009 prevented major damage to the Tribe’s tourism infrastructure during the major flooding July – September, 2010. The 2010 – 2011 response was done completely by Agency and Tribal Staff. The Tribe has continued working to lessen damage potential to its major assets, housing and facilities. December 28, 2011 Superintendent Williams reported,

”As a result of the 2008 and 2010 floods the Tribe purchased and is installing their own radio system for communication purposes and received their own radio frequency.  We now have an Arizona Interoperable Radio System (AIRS) installed at Long Mesa to allow different agencies to communicate during disasters... (They are being encouraged) … to become the Incident Commanders for their emergencies.    Mr. Melvin Hunter, Sr. has provide training to them for incident commander procedures.