FEMA makes changes to individual disaster help guidelines for tribes [Video]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – In a first for tribal governments statewide, natural disaster victims in Alaska Native tribes can now receive more individualized relief when trouble hits.

Last week, the Wrangell Cooperative Association became the first Native tribe to be granted a federal disaster declaration by President Joe Biden’s administration, following the deadly landslide in the Southeast Alaska community that killed six people in November 2023.

Kelbie Kennedy, a National Tribal Affairs Advocate at FEMA, said cutting red tape and creating a pseudo-holistic way of offering assistance to tribal communities will help them begin the recovery process as fast as possible.

“We know that this is not just an issue that will impact only Alaska Native villages across the state of Alaska or tribal nations across the country, but it’ll impact every single survivor,” Kennedy said.

With over 200 tribal nations in Alaska, Kennedy said the change should help a lot of Alaskan residents not only rebuild their homes, but also their way …