In early December, Ted Tate’s attic furnace caught fire while he and his family soundly slept. Thankfully, Mr. Tate had received smoke & carbon monoxide detectors and a fire extinguisher through the Fire Safe Tribal Citizens Program one year prior.
“It was about 12:30 in the morning, and I smelled something, but I didn’t know what it was, and then, the smoke alarms went off. I seen the smoke coming out of the vents and went up in the attic, and the furnace was on fire.
I ran everybody out, and my wife brought the fire extinguisher to me to put the fire out. And it was minimal damage. I was able to catch it fast enough that it didn’t catch the house on fire.
I’ve always had smoke detectors, and I put them where it’s supposed to be. But whenever I seen the [Fire Safe] program, I added smoke detectors and replaced my older ones. And the one that caught it, I hadn’t had any in those extra spots.
Signing up for Fire Safe is definitely something that I recommend everybody do because it can be the difference between having a home and not having a home. It’s no cost to you, and you can save your home and your family by just filling out an application.”
Fire Safe Tribal Citizens assistance is available to all Shawnee citizens 18 years or older. The amount of assistance awarded varies based on the project and the size of the home. Support is provided through the tribe’s American Rescue Plan Act BIA Tribal Housing Improvement Funding.
Visit shawnee-nsn.gov/housing.
On Monday, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memorandum for heads of executive departments and federal agencies requiring agencies to “complete a comprehensive analysis of all of their [f]ederal financial assistance programs to identify programs, projects, and activities that may be implicated by any of the President’s executive […]
Messages from the Chiefs — Spring 2025: Chief Banes looks ahead in 2025, and Chief Baldridge highlights building and maintaining relationships on the local, state and federal levels to ensure the growth of the Shawnee Tribe.
MIAMI, OK — Chief Benjamin Barnes of the Shawnee Tribe is commending recent federal efforts to advance the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Adopted in 2007, UNDRIP outlines the rights of Indigenous peoples worldwide, and the United States joined 192 other United Nations member states in 2014 in committing to […]
Check out recycling plastics by their numbers from the tribe’s Environmental Resources Department!
Stalking is a pattern of repeated, unwanted, and intrusive behavior aimed at controlling or intimidating another person. It can involve a range of actions, from following the victim in person or online to sending excessive texts, emails, or gifts. Stalking is often driven by a desire for power or control and can occur between people […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MIAMI, OK—The Shawnee Tribe Tag Office is now an authorized PIKEPASS agent. The most cost-effective way to travel Oklahoma’s turnpikes, PIKEPASS can also be used on toll roads in Texas and Kansas, as well as certain toll roads in Florida and Colorado. Since 2021, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) has been migrating […]
Check out these fun facts about recycling aluminum from the tribe’s Environmental Resources Department!
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs at specific times of the year, typically during the fall and winter months when daylight hours are shorter, occasionally referred to as the “winter blues”. It’s believed to be triggered by changes in sunlight exposure, which can disrupt the body’s natural rhythms, including the […]