Critical human needs rise as Blackfeet endure unrelenting winter storms

An unrelenting series of snow storms, gale force winds and subzero temperatures are draining emergency resources on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation.

According to emergency service personnel, many families living in more remote locations on the reservation have been blocked in their homes for weeks, and concern is growing about access to food, medicine and heat for these isolated families.

"We've had this weather situation from the first of the year, and it seems like its never going to end," said Harry Barnes, Chairman of the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council (BTBC).

"We've had many reports in all the outlying areas; especially on the south end of the reservation where we have snow drifts of epic proportions," added Robert DesRosier, incident commander for the tribe's snow emergency operations. "We just can't hardly imagine or stay ahead of it."

Parts of the reservation have received as much as 70 inches of snow in February alone; made vastly more complicated by steady winds which fill in the roads almost faster than they can be cleared.

"BIA 1 is the main route from Browning to Heart Butte, and we've been having trouble keeping that open," Barnes said.

"We just got word a few minutes ago BIA Route 1 from Browning to Heart Butte just blew shut again - it's closed," DesRosier added only a few minutes later. "We do got the wind blowing right now and its moving some snow."

The Tribe declared a state of emergency two weeks ago. On Monday (Feb. 19) the BTBC activated an incident command center to help coordinate relief efforts throughout the Blackfeet reservation. Wednesday evening (Feb. 21) the Tribe will open a designated emergency shelter in Browning for people seeking shelter from the continuing weather crisis.

"Since we've been active in our command center we've taken 94 calls for service," DesRosier said. "Twenty-nine of those calls have been requests for wood, and we've had about 16 calls from people who are running low on food and propane." 

"We have three rescue squads that are working with tracked machines right now," DesRosier added. "We did four rescues yesterday. In one of them, the gentleman was in his home 18 miles out and refused to come out. We were able to deliver groceries and get him his medicine, and he has chosen to stay in his home. That gentleman has been snowed in on his ranch since January 9.

"We ended up doing a rural operation with our search and rescue where we had to locate a individual who was missing and hadn't been heard from for seven days. He was located this morning and is doing well. 

"We had a baby with the flu that we had to dig out and get to the hospital. Now the snow has blown her in again, and we're working on that to try to get that family evacuated and into a safe area in the community."

While many areas within the Blackfeet Indian Reservation are experiencing storm related problems, the main emphasis of relief efforts is currently focused upon the Heart Butte area. The community 36-miles southeast of Browning does not have a grocery store, and the roads have been nearly impassable at times for much of the past six weeks.

"The main concern for the Tribe right now is to get food and supplies to them," said Sheri Hill, who is leading relief efforts through the Blackfeet United Methodist Parish. "There are many other people in outlying communities who are also snowed in, so that's where we're focusing our efforts."

In the last few weeks volunteers working with the Methodist Church have delivered over 1,500 pounds of rice, beans, flour and salt to stranded families throughout the Blackfeet Reservation - often relying on snowmobiles and privately owned four-wheel drive trucks equipped with plows to get these basic staples to the families who need them.

Propane and fire wood are also large concerns.

"A lot of people will be running out of propane because the propane trucks just can't get in there," Hill said. "Most of the people on the reservation have access to wood stoves and that's their primary heating source."

The Yellowstone Conference of the United Methodist Committee On Relief (UMCOR) has now purchased six semi-truck loads of wood, which expected to arrive on the Blackfeet Reservation this Friday.

"I believe most people still have their water," Hill said. "There are some people who have their electricity shut off, but if they have a wood stove the reality is that electricity is not a necessity at this point. As long as they can get heat into their homes."

"It gets really emotional for us," Hill said of the many volunteers who are working to get food, toiletries, feminine hygiene products, diapers and baby formula to families trapped by the snow." 

"We got a call from a concerned community member about an elderly man stuck in Heart Butte who couldn't get out and get his dialysis - that he was in bad shape," Hill recalled. "That type of thing really hits our heart, but then we got word from dispatch that - 'We got him out. He's on the way to the hospital.' That really built us up.

"We're tired and we're drained," she added, "but we really feel fulfilled that we're really helping out our people."

The next concern is over an incoming storm that's predicted to hit the Blackfeet Reservation this coming Friday. Winds of up to 40-miles-per hour are expected Friday night, followed by light snow through Sunday afternoon.

The concern is doubled by worries over the large number of residents who will be returning to the Blackfeet Reservation Sunday, following the conclusion of the Northern C Basketball Tournament in Great Falls.

DesRosier asked returning residents to check Montana highway reports prior to heading home.