Osage Nation receives $27,500 for Red Cross Tornado Grant
In May, the following release came out and is now being published a second time with some revisions. The purpose is to locate any Osage families still living in Moore, Oklahoma and the surrounding area and were there at the time of the May 20, 2013 tornado. The American Red Cross is providing a reimbursement type grant to the Osage Nation for those families to be used towards purchasing a storm shelter.
NEWS RELEASE
Osage Nation receives $27,500 for Red Cross Tornado Grant
For Osages living in Moore, Oklahoma
By A. M. Jefferson, Osage Nation Communications Department
Osage Nation, Pawhuska, Okla. (May 7, 2015)—On May 20, 2013, the city of Moore, Oklahoma and the surrounding area was struck by a devastating tornado. Most people still remember the news broadcasts that evening from their local stations and later seeing the pictures of the destructive aftermath on television and the internet. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website reported that along with Moore, “parts of south Oklahoma City” … experienced “catastrophic damage …, and [the tornado] was given a maximum rating of EF-5 … claimed 24 lives, injured scores of people and caused billions of dollars in damage.”
The Osage Nation and its Emergency Management personnel began attempts to locate Osage members who were known to be residing in the affected areas in order to inquire about their emergency needs. With the infrastructure of the area down and Osage Nation members’ contact information out-of-date, Osage Nation Emergency Management (ONEM) had a list of nearly 400 individuals to locate. Osage Nation Environmental and Natural Resources (ONENR) created a map of the area and with the available addresses the emergency team was able to determine who might be living inside and outside the damage zone.
ONEM has a twofold objective for recalling this tragic incident. One is to point out the need for Osage Nation constituents to keep all contact information current. This is especially true for individuals who reside outside the boundaries of Osage County; basically world-wide. The required data should be sent to Osage Nation Membership department and include:
- Name changes
- Addresses
- Phone numbers
- Emergency contacts
The second purpose is that there is emergency assistance coming to eleven (11) Osage households in the area affected by that May, 2013 tornado.
On April 13, 2015, the Osage Nation received a grant award of $27,500 from the American Red Cross to provide tornado shelters for Osages living in Moore, Oklahoma, during the 2013 tornado. The purpose of the grant is to provide funding for the construction of safe rooms/shelters in homes that provide protection from injury/death caused by the forces of extreme winds.
The American Red Cross has awarded $6.5 million in grants for storm shelter in areas that suffered damage. And, the ONEM along with other Oklahoma tribes were contacted to apply for the grant funds. ONEM Director Bobby Tallchief brought the application information to Osage Nation Office of Strategic Planning and Project Management. Amanda Wamego Buffalohead, Grants Specialist, composed and submitted the grant application to the Red Cross.
The American Red Cross Tornado Shelter program is a reimbursement-type grant and will provide storm shelters to only those who are living in the Moore area during that May, 2013 tornado. Director Tallchief will facilitate the project; oversee the installation of the shelters and all reporting requirements.
To learn more about ONEM or ONCS please visit the Nation’s website www.osagenation-nsn.gov.
To learn more about the American Red Cross follow this link:www.redcross.org/ok/oklahoma-city
For media inquiries contact Osage Nation Communications Department at 918-287-5599.