DECEMBER 24, 2022:
Gov. Kristi Noem has announced additional missions that are being undertaken by the South Dakota National Guard in response to the winter storms across South Dakota.
Thursday (Dec. 22, 2022), Noem announced that the Guard is hauling available firewood from the Black Hills Forest Service to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe.
In addition to this mission, the Guard will also be hauling timber to the Oglala Sioux Tribe. They will also be helping with snow removal in support of both the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and the Oglala Sioux Tribe. They will be performing these missions in conjunction with the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Transportation.
The South Dakota National Guard has been activated pursuant to the statewide emergency, and resources are needed to provide additional assistance to the tribes. When the tribes request help, it is evaluated to see if it is an appropriate use for our National Guard.
These actions are in addition to the ongoing steps being taken by numerous state agencies, especially the South Dakota Department of Public Safety and the South Dakota Department of Transportation.
DECEMBER 23, 2022:
Governor Kristi Noem has activated the South Dakota National Guard and signed Executive Order 2022-12, which declares an emergency for the winter storms that have been impacting South Dakota.
Noem says her administration has been assisting county and tribal governments in the local response to the ongoing winter storms across the state. She says the South Dakota National Guard has been activated pursuant to the statewide emergency, and resources are needed to provide additional assistance to the tribes. When the tribes request help, it is evaluated to see if it is an appropriate use for our National Guard. The Guard’s immediate mission is hauling available firewood from the Black Hills Forest Service to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. Other missions may be necessary as coordination between tribal and local governments and State Emergency Management continues.
The Noem Administration had already been responding to the various needs of South Dakota’s tribes throughout these storms, and those are detailed in this release (also seen below) by the South Dakota of Public Safety. These actions are in addition to the ongoing steps being taken by numerous state agencies, especially the South Dakota Department of Public Safety and the South Dakota Department of Transportation.
DECEMBER 21, 2022:
Since last week’s winter storms (Dec. 12-16, 2022), the South Dakota Department of Public Safety has provided direct assistance to South Dakota’s tribes.
“Our entire department, especially the Office of Emergency Management, worked closely with the tribes to discuss needs and resource requests that resulted from this storm,” said DPS Cabinet Secretary Craig Price. “The partnerships that we have with other agencies helped us act quickly and deploy resources to assist the tribes and their residents.”
DPS provided services to the tribes, including:
- Providing situational awareness and regular contact with tribal emergency managers from OEM starting last week before the storm hit;
- Communicating regularly between the tribes and OEM with the Governor’s Office, SD Department of Tribal Relations (DTR), and FEMA;
- Coordinating with the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Black Hills LifeFlight to transport a dialysis patient in critical condition to Rapid City;
- Coordinating with the US Department of Health and Human Services, SD Department of Health, SD Health Care Coalition, and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe to ensure more than 40 dialysis patients could receive treatment;
- Coordinating stranded motorist rescue among the Fusion Center, OEM, the Highway Patrol, and the Department of Transportation;
- Working with the South Dakota Association of General Contractors to determine what contractors could work with local and tribal jurisdictions for snow removal;
- Providing for SD Department of Transportation v-plow to get to critical patients on the Pine Ridge reservation;
- Working with the SD Department of Transportation to clear roads on the Pine Ridge and Rosebud reservations;
- Sending OEM field coordinators to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe on Sunday, Dec. 18, to meet with tribal leadership to further discuss needs and resource requests; and,
- Sending two loaders/blowers to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and coordinating with SD Department of Transportation to deliver propane, firewood, and food to communities.
Other state agencies also were involved in helping the tribes.
“In addition to clearing and maintaining the Interstates and state highways during this massive storm system, the South Dakota Department of Transportation was able to assist the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Rosebud Sioux Tribe with equipment and winter maintenance personnel,” said Joel Jundt, Secretary of Transportation. “Coordination of available DOT personnel and equipment resources, such as v-plows, tractors, blowers, and loaders, was organized by our Area Engineers.”
DTR Cabinet Secretary David Flute said the assistance and cooperation from all agencies was key. He said tribal officials, such as Rosebud Sioux Tribal President Scott Herman, appreciated the state’s efforts.
“The state has taken great efforts to assist the tribes throughout this winter storm, along with the rest of the state that was impacted by this extreme weather,” said Secretary David Flute. “I have been in contact with President Herman over the course of this storm, listening to his concerns and relaying information from him.”
The Fusion Center, Office of Emergency Management, and Highway Patrol are all agencies of the Department of Public Safety.
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