Working in Indian Country Experiences, successes and challenges April 29, 2014

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 Overview  Introduction  A brief history  Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission  Historical Context  Demographics  Challenges  Suggestions for working with Tribal Nations 2

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 Introduction  A little about me.  Experience in Indian Country  Indian Health Service  Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada  Emergency Management  SD Presidential declarations  Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission (ITERC)  Tribal NIMS Project 3

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission (ITERC)  What is the ITERC?  Department of the Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada (ITCN)  Emergency Management  ITERC staff provides Preparedness, Response, Recovery, Mitigation, and Protection technical assistance and project delivery to all 27 Tribal Nations in Nevada.  Guided by ITCN and the ITERC Board  ITERC Board is an advisory Board comprised of all Tribal Emergency Managers, as designated by each Tribe. 4

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 ITERC Projects  Current:  Tribal NIMS (SHSP)  Tribal THIRA (SHSP)  Tribal Clinic NIMS (CDC)  Program Administration (EMPG)  Tribal Emergency Management Assistance Compact (TEMAC)  Past:  Disaster Communications Box (Combination)  Tribal Rural Interoperability (Complete) 5

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 ITERC Successes 6  Regular support and participation from Tribal EMs.  Technical assistance and coordination on a number of fires, public health and a flood event.  Delivery of EMI’s Tribal Curricula and numerous other trainings in Nevada.  12 exercises (drill, TTX, Functional, and Full-scale)  Coordinated and hosted a number of conferences, meetings and workshops.

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 ITERC Challenges 7  Sustainability (i.e. Funding).  SAA grant challenges.  Tribal Leadership support for EM efforts.  Commitment  Turnover (Councils and Tribal staff)  Information-sharing/retention.  EM responsibilities are secondary to other regular, full-time activities.

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 How do we function? 8  We start by introducing our projects by presenting to each Council: in-person, face-to-face consultation.  Direct, regular contact and communication with the Tribes we serve.  Board meetings every other month.  Regularly assess gaps, needs, priorities (grant-motivated).  Collaboration with Tribes, local, state and regional partners: whole community effort.  EMI Training, AZ TTO Program, RIX Technical Assistance.

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 Historical Context  The People  Past  Present 9

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 The People  At least 25,000 years living in North America  Diverse:  Appearance  Culture  Language  Sovereign nations  Part of the past as well as the future 10

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 The Past  Pre-Columbus Era:  25,000 years ago  115 million people lived in Americas  1800 distinct languages were spoken  American Indian/Alaskan Natives as diverse as Europeans. 11

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 The Past  Colonial Period ( )  Removal and Relocation Period ( )  Allotment and Attempted Assimilation Period ( ) 12

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 The Past  Reorganization Period ( )  Termination and Relocation Period ( )  Self-Determination Period (1965 to present) 13

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 Timeline of Indian Policies  Colonial Period ( )  Removal and Relocation Period ( )  Allotment and Attempted Assimilation Period ( )  Reorganization Period ( )  Termination and Relocation period ( )  Self-Determination Period (1965 to present) 14

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 The Result of Colonization  Christianity was forced upon Tribes as a weapon to destroy traditional beliefs and practices.  Ceremonial practices were outlawed and punishable by death.  First Peoples were removed from sacred homelands and hunting grounds to further disrupt their way of life.  The traditional roles of men and women were changed. 15

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 The Present 16

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 Demographics  4.3 million Americans identify themselves as American Indian/Alaskan Native (1.5 % of the population)  566 Federally recognized tribal entities  1/3 of the native population live on Indian lands/villages 17

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 Demographics  32% of native population under 18 compared to 24% in general population.  5% of native population over 65 years of age compared to 12.4% in the general population.  Median age is 29 years old compared to 35 years old in general populations.  65 years old is the average life expectancy of the native population.  73% of natives live in family households 18

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 Demographics  Death from alcoholism is 5 times greater for the native population than in the general population.  Indian youth have the highest rate of suicide amount all ethnic groups in the US and is the second-leading cause of death for Native youth aged

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 Common Beliefs  Connecting the past, the present, the future.  Land is sacred  Follow and respect the natural order of nature.  People are caretakers of the Earth.  The power of the world works in circles:  Earth is round, the seasons occur in circles, the life of a man is circular as is all things. 20

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 Challenges 21  Often Tribal Governments:  Are developing.  Have many priorities.  Have rapid turn-over.  Are understaffed  Have little or no resources:  May have no single POC or many POCs.  May be no warning/notification system.  Few or little mutual aid agreements.

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 Challenges 22  Assistance may be seen as interfering with tribal culture/norms  Tribe takes care of own (ability to adapt and survive)  Lack of Trust:  Federal Government  Outsiders  Sense of disempowerment:  Reluctant to reach out to ask for help  Reluctant to take action  Tribal folks may not distinguish between federal agencies  Planning verses preparing

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 Suggestions 23  Remember:  Tribes are sovereign.  Tribal executives are leaders of nations and should be treated as such.  Each Tribe is unique in every way: culturally, socially, economically, politically, etc.  Listen.  Keep an open mind and remove any assumptions.  If you have been to ONE Reservation, you have been to ONE Reservation.

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 Suggestions 24  Understand the past and its impact on the present and the future.  Learn about each tribe you serve individually.  Respect :  Leaders/Tribal Council or tribally recognized government officials  Elders (women and men)  Children (may be present at meetings, including infants)  Land  Ceremonies – may or may not be open for public  If you have questions – ask! Ignorance is easily forgiven, assumptions are not.

Regina Marotto, Director, Inter-Tribal Emergency Response Commission April 29, 2014 Thank you! Regina Marotto MPH Emergency Management & Homeland Security Director xt