Partnership with Native Americans Brings Added Support to Tribal Commuities with Disaster Preparedness Handbook

Published January 31, 2019

RAPID CITY, S.D. — Partnership With Native Americans (PWNA), a nonprofit serving immediate needs and supporting long-term solutions for Native Americans living in reservation communities, is collaborating with Preparedness Matters to raise awareness about the realities of disaster aid on the reservations and distributing The Native Family Disaster Preparedness Handbook to reservation partners in the Northern Plains. The handbook provides culturally relevant guidance and tips for reservation-based families and tribes on how to prepare for and respond to disasters.

“While we can’t prevent disasters from happening, knowing what to do beforehand can help individuals avoid some of the physical, financial and psychological distress that results from these events,” said Sean M. Scott, a co-author of The Native Family Disaster Preparedness Handbook. Tribal citizens who will receive the handbook have committed to advance disaster planning on their reservations.

Developed with input from Native groups, this resource offers crucial knowledge that can strengthen tribal family and community resiliency and hopefully prevent Native people from becoming victims. “We are honored and privileged to have played a small role in this important project to prepare Native families,” said Davis, who along with Scott has done extensive work in disaster literacy in underserved communities.

When disaster strikes, PWNA responds quickly with disaster relief for tribal communities in need of supplies for displaced families. With recent grant funding, PWNA is also supporting long-term emergency preparedness in tribal communities, through training, networked collaboration and access to resources such as the handbook.

“Weather extremes and geographic isolation are immediate concerns for Native Americans, especially in recent years,” said Mark Ford, director of major gifts and partnerships for PWNA. “There’s an increased need for tribal citizens to prepare for disasters and educational resources are crucial to recovery in reservation communities.”

PWNA will distribute the handbook to tribal partners this winter, along with additional online resources for emergency preparedness. For more information, visit www.nativepartnership.org/disasterresources.