TAHLEQUAH, OK – Cherokee Nation leaders joined officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the signing of a landmark agreement that will bolster federal disaster response efforts through the deployment of Cherokee-led Incident Management Teams. The agreement between Cherokee Nation and FEMA is the first of its kind in Indian Country.
The partnership underscores the Cherokee Nation’s commitment to protecting lives, alleviating suffering, and preserving community resilience in times of crisis not just across the Cherokee Nation Reservation, but across the U.S.
“This agreement is a testament to the strength and expertise of the Cherokee Nation Emergency Management team,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. “Through this collaborative effort, we are stepping up to meet the challenges of an increasingly unpredictable world. By bringing together resources and leveraging the skills of our Incident Management Teams, we’re not only fulfilling our responsibility to protect our communities, but also contributing to the broader mission of saving lives and restoring hope across the country.”
Under the terms of the five-year agreement, Cherokee Nation Emergency Management will provide trained response personnel to support FEMA’s Supplemental Response Team Program during declared emergencies and disasters. FEMA will reimburse the Cherokee Nation for costs incurred during these operations.
“The Cherokee people have always risen to the occasion in service of others, and this partnership with FEMA enables us to take our mission farther,” said Deputy Chief Bryan Warner. “It’s about ensuring both our tribal citizens and the broader community are equipped with the support they need in times of great difficulty. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in building safer and more resilient communities.”
The Cherokee Nation and FEMA collaboration builds upon FEMA’s long-standing efforts to integrate state, local, and tribal resources into federal disaster response mechanisms.
“This intergovernmental agreement with the Cherokee Nation embodies the spirit of ‘Gadugi,’ or ‘everyone helping each other,’” said Deanne Criswell, FEMA Administrator. “I am so grateful for the Cherokee Nation’s partnership, and I am confident that this agreement will improve our ability to reach and support survivors during disaster response.”
The agreement recognizes the Nation’s sovereign capacity to manage its workforce independently while coordinating seamlessly with FEMA’s federal response efforts. Cherokee Nation team members will also gain additional opportunities for skill-building and training.
Cherokee Nation’s Emergency Management team has seven employees along with 15 members of an Incident Management Team and approximately 20 who participate in search-and-rescue operations. In recent years, Cherokee Nation Emergency Management has been instrumental in responding to natural disasters including tornadoes, severe winter weather and high-risk fires within the Cherokee Nation Reservation, along with historic flooding, hurricane response and other events in locations across the U.S.
