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.
ONE CITIZEN’S JOURNEY THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION, CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND HOMEOWNERSHIP Shawnee tribal citizen Michael Cedrone lives in Texas, where he works as Head of Human Resources at GBC Food Services. Cedrone attributes his success to the tribe’s educational, career and housing support programs. His professional journey began at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, TX, […]
During General Council weekend (September 20-21), the Shawnee Tribe hosted Firaxis Games’ Pete Murray (Learning & Development Manager) and Lead Producer Andrew Frederiksen, developers of Sid Meier’s Civilization VII, due to be released next February. Murray and Frederiksen kicked off their Shawnee visit with attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new Emma “Mock” Donaldson saawanwaatoweewika […]
Messages from the Chiefs – Fall 2024: It’s a US Election Day! Chief Barnes highlights the importance of voting in every election, local to federal, and Chief Baldridge reflects on the earliest days of his service on the Business Council compared to where we are today.
Shawnee language classes will resume for the 2025 calendar year on Monday, January 6! Self-paced learners and those hoping to participate in live classes should contact the Shawnee Language Immersion Program team (SLIP) to begin enrollment. SLIP will work with each individual student to place them in the appropriate course(s) based on their learning preferences […]
On Friday, September 20, tribal citizens and community members gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the Shawnee Tribe’s newest facility and cultural resource—the Emma “Mock” Donaldson saawanwaatoweewika (Shawnee language house). A little more than ten minutes east of central Miami, OK, the facility boasts a large, open gathering space with high ceilings and a […]
On October 15, the Governor of Ohio, Mike DeWine and his wife, First Lady Frances “Fran” DeWine traveled to Miami, OK to visit with various Shawnee Tribal programs and leadership. “We were honored to receive Governor DeWine and his wife at our Shawnee language house, Cultural Center, and Administrative offices,” said Chief Ben Barnes. “We […]
In September, the Shawnee Tribe’s Gaming Commission staff received safety training from City of Guymon professionals including; Fire Marshall Jason Bond, Fire Chief Scott Lathrop, 911 Director Justin Carnagey, and Police Sergeant Jacob Bankston. “It was a very productive training day and was well received by the Gaming Commission staff,” said Otis Hughs, Executive Director […]
GILA RIVER, Ariz.—Chief Ben Barnes attended today’s event on the reservation of the Gila River Indian Community, where President Joe Biden delivered a historic speech and a formal presidential apology for 150 years of federal Indian boarding school policies which he called “a shame” and “a blot on American history.” “I’m delighted that President Biden’s […]