Muscogee (Creek) Nation to aid those affected by Hurricane Harvey

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 28, 2017

CONTACT LaTasha Monahwee
Media Relations Specialist
P.O. Box 580
Okmulgee, OK 74447
(918) 732-7630
YZbanujrr@zhfpbtrrangvba.pbz

Muscogee (Creek) Nation to aid those affected by Hurricane Harvey

Okmulgee, Okla. — Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police, Emergency Management, Social Services, Citizenship and Health System are working to aid the Texas areas affected by Hurricane Harvey.

Lighthorse Police in collaboration with Emergency Management put together a response team to assist in the rescue and recovery efforts.

The response team that consists of eight men, three boats and diving equipment with three people being operate swift water rescue rafts certified technicians.

The team will be leaving the morning of Aug. 29 to travel to the San Antonio area to stage and coordinate with the Oklahoma Emergency Management (OEM).

“They are in dire needs down there now,” said Lighthorse Police Chief Robert Hawkins. “It has gotten to the magnitude they are calling for people, just normal citizens with boats, anything they can use to get people out of the water, out of their homes, off rooftops. They are using as many resources as they can.”

In addition to the response team, the Nation’s Social Services and Citizenship are scrambling to help citizens in the flooded area, fearing lost documents due to the damage. A backup recovery system is being developed to help identify tribal citizens for quicker assess to emergency assistance.

MCN is one of two only tribal governments in the state reported to send assistance.

“Whenever we have citizens in need, we have an obligation and responsibility to lend aid,” said Principal Chief James Floyd. “We are well trained and have the resources to help, it’s our duty to react and do what we’ve been asked to do, for our citizens and for everyone in danger or those who have been affected,” Floyd explained.

The Muscogee (Creek) Nation is the fourth largest tribe in the Nation and more than five percent (4,169 citizens identified) are located in Texas.

MCN Health Systems is also working to aid hurricane victims by sending three commission officers.

Emergency Management Supervisor James Nichols said they are glad to help.

“We don’t want to sit back and watch we want to be able to help. If we can take our resources down and help the people that are in the effected area, which is huge, then that’s what we want to do,” said James Nichols.