President Declares Disaster for Oglala Sioux Tribe of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to the Oglala Sioux Tribe of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and ordered federal aid to supplement recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, and flooding during the period of May 8-29, 2015.

The President’s action makes federal funding available to the affected members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.  Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.     

Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for the Tribal Nation.

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated area can begin applying for assistance by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by web enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov.  Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. (MDT) seven days a week until further notice. 

Gary R. Stanley has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.  Stanley said that damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and additional areas may be designated for assistance after the assessments are fully completed. 

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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.