During Operation Storm Surge from September 9-15, 2013, a flash flood impacted 60 communities within the Navajo Nation, damaging 140 homes. Two deaths were reported, with 70 people sheltered across 6 locations. Damages totaled between $1.6-2 million. Collaborative relief efforts were undertaken by various tribal, state, federal, and volunteer groups. The director noted the need to strengthen emergency response capabilities as a sovereign nation, including revising FEMA policies for individual and public assistance and increasing training programs.

1. Operation Storm
Surge
September 9 – 15, 2013
Rose Whitehair, Director
Navajo Nation Department of Emergency Management
Emergency Operations Center

3. Many Farms (Sept 11, 2013)
TOTAL COMMUNITIES IMPACTED: 60
TOTAL: 140 homes
Unaffected: 16
Affected: 27
Minor: 86
Major: 8
Destroyed: 3
SBA: 104 Minor/8 Major
2 Deaths
8 Incident Command Posts
70 people sheltered at 6 different shelters
As of this date: $1.6 - 2 Million in Damages

4. Chinle Community Flash Flood
Families with children sleeping outside due to mud, rain, mold, infestation.

5. Rock Point Bridge – Class 2 Rapids (Sept 11, 2013)

6. Tselani/Cottonwood – road impassable

7. Pinedale Chapter
Waterfalls bridge and Lobo Canyon
Elders and Schoolchildren cross
their own makeshift bridge.

8. Crownpoint Earthen dam built in 1930’s brought to the
attention of the community.
Flooded student housing at Navajo Technical University.

9. To’hajííléé

10. Collaborative
Efforts
• States and County Efforts
• FEMA
• BIA/NN Safety of Dams
• USACE
• Team Rubicon
• The Chapters
• NN Programs (CHR/EMS/LE/LGSC/Water Resources/Fire
Rescue/Chapter CERT/ALERT Teams/Epidemiology/PH/DOH)
• Volunteers in the EOC and out in the field
• Corrections Volunteers from Grants, NM
• Donations from other agencies and Tribes
• American Red Cross

12. Tribal Amendments to the Stafford Act
• The FEMA and CFR Books are unwritten. We are literally
writing history and paving the way for other tribes.
• Now that we have the recognition to be treated like a state we
need to increase our capabilities to RESPOND like a state.
• Meaning we have a lot of “catching up” to do.
• We as sovereign nations have the ability to make our voices
heard with the new policies and procedures.
• We need to fight for Individual Assistance.
• We need to lower the $1,000,000.00 threshold that FEMA
requires for some states. It shouldn’t be as high for tribes
requesting Public Assistance.
• We can build our own deployable teams (IMT) to assist our
own and possibly others in times of need.

14. Other FEMA/EMI
Emergency Mgmt Institute
Courses:
•E580/L580 – Emergency
Management for Tribal
Governments
•E581/L581 – Emergency
Operations for Tribal
Governments
•Continuity of Operations
for Tribal Governments
•4 hr course Emergency
Mgmt for Tribal Leaders
– Independent Study –
FREE Classes on-line for
ICS 100, 200, 300, 700, 800

15. The Future…
• Rapid Response Policy
• Rapid Response Grants
• Partnerships (Counties, UNM-G, NTU for Local Training)
• ESF (Emergency Support Functions)
• ICS Training for NIMS Based Architecture – REBUILD a bigger,
stronger program
• Strategic Plan for funding (DHS, DOC, DOD, USDA, ANA)
• Invest in the infrastructure and our people
• T-t-T for CERT, ICS and TVA
• Sustainability and Continuity

16. Workingtogether to protectour communities

17. Questions?
For more information:
ROSE WHITEHAIR
Email: rmwhitehair@gmail.com