First Central Family helps those hit by winter storm

I think it is quite a shame that in these days of purported mass media coverage of human needs and national and international crises that I must rely on internet bloggers (but thank goodness for them) to get some semblance of news about our Lakota Sioux brothers and sisters on the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations. I have not heard back from CNN after I reported this as a newsworthy story last Sunday, other than immediately receiving a computer-generated reply that CNN would look into it. When I tried to follow up late Monday night I received another computer generated reply that the recipient (CNN) does not receive documents (an e-mail) from this sender (me). Dad watches CNN like an addict and had not seen a report as of this weekend about the situation.

The massive power outage caused by the early winter storm almost two weeks ago had not been fixed after 10 days but the good news is that donations from my First Central family and other like-minded folks around the country did reach the reservations. Thanks to bloggers, I have some idea of what may have been happening on the reservations last week. News is that the Red Cross had arrived about the middle of last week and has been busy trying to get food, fuel and warm clothes to those affected by the power outage. The blog I read about the Red Cross involvement indicated that volunteers were averaging 4 hours a night sleep and are using snow mobiles to reach homes isolated by snow drifts that may even reach 20 feet in some areas. Sadly, too, looting was reported on a second blog. It is reported that many families have put their elder and young in a school converted to a rescue center so the dads and older brothers can return to the dark cold houses, shacks and second hand mobile homes to try to protect what possessions are left. Until I can get better information, I hope that you will take the blog reports at face value. This is second-hand, third-hand or even more distant information since none of the local media or the national media sent journalists to the reservation to accurately report the situation.

A reliable contact of mine called the Bureau of Indian Affairs Friday morning for current information but the BIA rep was not sure what the bureau knows or doesn’t know and would be sure to call her back. She also spoke with someone in the know who tells her that the state of South Dakota now formally recognizes that there is a problem on the reservations. His feelings are that the situation is resolving. I spoke with the office that the BIA suggested I call that is on the reservation this afternoon. All but a very few of the furthest remote homes are back online with electricity. The small propane and kerosene heaters were very much appreciated, some folks were heating their homes with candles. I cannot imagine that. Posted by Rick B.