Speech highlighted the importance of tribes to US emergency response capabilities 
FEMA Administrator Fugate addressed the annual NCAI convention
Yesterday, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate addressed the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) 66th Annual Convention in Palm Springs, CA.
At the convention, Administrator Fugate underlined the critical role that tribes play as a partner and member of our nation's emergency response team. Over 1,500 tribal leaders from across the country attended this year's week long conference. Emergency management and preparedness was a key item on the agenda.
"FEMA is only one part of our nation's emergency response team," said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. "It was important today to hear directly from our tribal partners, a central member of that emergency response team. I look forward to continuing to work together to address the unique challenges that tribes face in times of emergencies or disasters, as we continue to better prepare, respond, and recover from such events."
FEMA has recently worked closely with a number of tribal nations, including during the response to the Alaska floods along the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers, as well as the more recent flood event in New York in August, assisting the Seneca Nation. FEMA is always striving to better serve its partners, including the 564 tribal nations across the country.
NCAI is the largest and oldest tribal organization in the country, established in 1944. NCAI includes 250 member tribes from throughout the United States and works to monitor and inform federal policies and decisions that affect tribal government interests.
