Tribal Services Division
Firestorm®Tribal Services Capabilities
Firestorm Solutions, LLC offers decades of experience in developing comprehensive emergency management programs. Drawing from a unique combination of operational experience and thought leadership, the Firestorm Tribal Services Team is positioned to deliver expertise to Tribal governments built upon a foundation of decades of proven management, consulting, and policy development services. Firestorm follows a Predict. Plan. Perform.® process to address the needs of Tribal governments – including the need to continue business operations in the event of an emergency or disaster, the need to operate as a first responder, and the need to have emergency management plans in place that address national and tribal homeland security initiatives and other compliance standards. Firestorm’s philosophy is that through proper planning, risk assessment, training and education most disasters and crises can be managed, mitigated or eliminated.
Tribal Emergency Managementand Homeland Security
Indian tribes and their governments, just like their federal counterparts, are ultimately responsible for the protection of lives, property and tribal resources in the event of natural disasters, terrorism, accidents and other emergency-related events. They are faced with an overwhelming responsibility for protecting vast and remote lands. According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, tribal lands consist of approximately 57 million acres of land. Twenty-five Indian tribes exercise jurisdiction over lands that share an international border with Mexico or Canada.
There is no doubt that Indian tribes play a critical role in the security of the country’s homelands. Indeed, homeland has a special meaning for Indian people. In the 1800s, tribes lost over 90 million acres of land as they were forcibly removed from their homelands onto reservations. In return for loss of these lands and natural resources, promises were made to Indian tribes for such services as health care, education, housing, and other support for continuing governmental services. Despite having lost more than two-thirds of their homelands, Indian tribes continue to demonstrate a tremendous duty to protect and preserve reservation lands.
Indian tribes recognize the need for comprehensive emergency management programs and capabilities. And, while many have developed and implemented measures to protect lives and preserve natural and cultural resources, many others have not. Firestorm Solutions is uniquely positioned to work with Indian tribes to enhance or begin this effort.
Firestorm Leadership
The Firestorm Tribal Services Team is led by Ms. Hilda Manuel, Esq., its Managing Director. Ms. Manuel enjoys a national reputation for professional excellence and competence in Indian affairs and policy demonstrated by more than 30 years of service to tribes. Ms. Manuel is highly regarded and supported by many tribal leaders throughout Indian country; she maintains close relationships with the leadership of several national and regional tribal organizations, which frequently results in Ms. Manuel’s advice and counsel being solicited in matters and issues directly affected by the operations and policies of the Departments of the Interior, Justice and Agriculture, the National Indian Gaming Commission and the Indian Health Service. Ms. Manuel’s experience and existing contacts with these agencies serves Firestorm’s clients.
Ms Manuel has an in-depth understanding of the needs and challenges that are unique to Indian tribes, and is committed to providing services to them that will position those tribal governments to perform when faced with impending crises and disasters. As an enrolled member of the Tohono O’odham Nation of Arizona, she brings over 30 years of experience working with Indian tribes, including her service as Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior, for more than 10 years. Hilda was the first woman member of her tribe to graduate law school and dedicated the first 15 years of her career serving her tribal community and other Arizona tribes as a member of the judiciary.
In 1990, she moved to Washington D.C. to head the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs Branch of Judicial Services, and after four years serving as Chief of Judicial Services and Chief of Tribal Government Services, Ms. Manuel was the first Indian woman to be appointed Deputy Commissioner of Indian Affairs by Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt. As Deputy Commissioner, Ms. Manuel provided executive leadership to all major functions of the Bureau of Indian Affairs by exercising line authority over headquarters staff, offices, 12 regional offices and 87 agencies and field operations. Ms. Manuel had direct authority over and served as the Bureau’s Chief Financial Officer responsible for a $1.9 billion budget. Her distinguished career with the Bureau of Indian Affairs spanned more than 12 years. Ms. Manuel then joined the prestigious law firm of Steptoe and Johnson, as Special Counsel in charge of the Firm’s Indian Law practice. Most recently, Ms. Manuel worked with Empire Resorts, Inc. as Senior VP for Native American Affairs and Chief Compliance Officer. There she applied the experience gained when in 1992, she was tasked by Secretary of the Interior Manuel Lujan to head up the Indian Gaming Action Team to begin developing regulatory guidelines for the operation of Class III gaming facilities.
Firestorm’s Proven Experience
The defining characteristic of Firestorm’s Tribal Services expertise is proven operational and emergency preparedness experience. This expertise links ongoing work with policy and standard-setting organizations – among them the Department of Homeland Security; Department of Interior-Bureau of Indian Affairs; Departments of the Interior, Justice and Agriculture; the National Indian Gaming Commission; and the Indian Health Service.
In her capacity as the Deputy Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Ms Manuel guided the Regional offices in their efforts to deal with disasters and emergencies. With primary responsibility for roads, transportation, law enforcement, dam safety, bridges and overall protection of land and natural resources, Ms. Manuel coordinated the Bureau’s disaster response with the federal government, and authorized the expenditure of Bureau funds.
Firestorm experts have responded to headline-making events such as 9/11, Virginia Tech, and hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Firestorm’s successes have also been evident in many organizations supported behind the scenes.
Firestorm’s Expansive Resources
The Firestorm Tribal Services Team draws from company leadership, Solutions Board and Expert Council, which includes six former surgeons general (military and United States), leading academic institutions, former government officials, retired Secret Service, functional experts from a variety of disciplines, including professionals with extensive experience working with Indian tribes and tribal governments in such areas as law enforcement, emergency management, natural resource protection, health and related areas.
This network offers unprecedented reach for solving challenges that face Tribal Nations, from issues surrounding natural disasters, such as hurricanes and tornados, to homeland security issues including drug smuggling and illegal alien crossings.Firestorm offers the full range of subject-matter expertise for supporting the emergency planning and operational needs of Tribal Nations.
The current environment of increased regulatory scrutiny, emphasis on governance, spontaneous inspections and surveys, and financial and resource constraints make advanced preparedness more important than ever. Firestorm offers turnkey solutions to virtually every aspect of preparedness, continuity of operations, disaster mitigation, and response/recovery challenges facing Tribal Nations.
Firestorm Research and Grant Writing / Tribal Federal Funding Assistance
Firestorm Solutions is uniquely positioned to help Indian tribes and tribal organizations achieve success in their efforts to become crisis and disaster ready. To that end, Firestorm offers research and grant writing services for Indian Tribes that may enable them to access funds to assist with emergency management and planning, training, equipment, test exercises, threat assessment, and more.
Firestorm’s leadership includes individuals who have held senior positions in the federal government and possess personal insight into the manner in which decisions are made and implemented. This includes intricate knowledge of the federal government’s funding cycles, budgeting process, how funding decisions are made with respect to tribal governments and how funds are distributed including reserve/emergency contingency funding sources. Firestorm grant writers have a working knowledge of the unique circumstances that often apply to Indian tribes and tribal organizations when applying for federal funds. Firestorm uses this knowledge to ensure that proposals and programs for which grants are sought will take into account tribal community needs. The funding sources include offerings through DHS, FEMA, DOI, Justice, EPA, HHS and several others. Some of those are tribal-specific, others are general, where all tribes will qualify.
Firestorm will compile, write and edit all grant applications, exhibiting strong expository writing skills. We will review the budget of proposals and projects for which funding is sought and make recommendations to better position tribal proposals. Proposals will be written that meet the particular requirements of the funding agency. Firestorm will maintain contact with grant-making organizations during their review to provide addition justification or supportive information if needed.
For more information about Firestorm, please contact:
Hilda Manuel, Managing Director, Tribal Services
845-521-3020 or hmanuel@firestorm.com
