Andrews Presenting at the Annual NCAI Conference

Toward the end of the month of October, Emergency Management Director Nelson Andrews accepted a guest speaker invitation for the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) 75th Annual meeting. At the meeting Nelson gave a presentation titled "Honoring the Past, Shaping the Future."

The meeting took place in Denver, CO and Nelson was joined by a panel of esteemed colleagues in the field of tribal emergency management. During the Annual Convention hundreds of tribal leaders met and deliberated various policy decision on a range of issues that are vital to Indian Country's future.

Director Andrews was invited specifically to speak during a session entitled "Indian Country Emergency Preparedness and Response: Navigating Pre Disaster Technical Assistance and Post Disaster Pitfalls." As a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in the field of emergency management, Nelson was able to address some of the main pitfalls and issues that tribal nations currently face following a major disaster incident. The audience filled with various tribal nation representatives including MWT Vice Chairwoman Baird and Attorney Brandy Toelupe were very engaged throughout the presentation. Toward the end of the presentation Vice Chair Baird addressed the audience as well with information regarding the tribes Bill H.R. 5244.

Nelson stated, "Being invited to speak as an SME on tribal emergency preparedness at the nation's largest gathering of tribal leadership was a truly humbling experience, being able to share informative knowledge that may in fact help another tribal nation's disaster readiness and resiliency is an honorable part of this journey that I very grateful for."