The Eighth Osage Nation Congress commended the Nation’s Wildland Fire Management Department during the 2023 Hun-Kah Session for the crew’s hard and sometimes dangerous work efforts to protect the Nation, its people and its structures.
Sponsored by Congresswoman Jodie Revard, Congress unanimously passed ONCR 23-10, which is a resolution “commending the Wildland Fire Management Department” on April 21. Revard said she sponsored the resolution during an April 19 Government Operations Committee meeting because “I’ve always just felt they weren’t recognized for the hard work and the seriousness and the nature of their work as to when they come home, as other tribes do for their firefighters, and I’m very proud of this initiative that we do that we provide for our folks in our jurisdiction and even outside. I’m very impressed with the way our Wildland Firefighters network and work with other tribes. It’s a completely different type of department and because of the way they network with other folks, including BLM and the other rural firefighters, so this was just an attempt to acknowledge them and everything that they do for our people and other people alike.”
“I was able to witness them network with other entities and to participate to save a home and where a child was involved,” Revard added. “I felt (the commendation) required (something) stronger than a citation, but a resolution and I would urge my colleagues to co-sponsor with this resolution.”
Congresswoman Brandy Lemon said she also supports the resolution, adding “these are the types of positions that are thankless, I know there’s a lot of those around in what we have and what we do and it’s important to recognize, acknowledge the passion that these individuals have in the jobs that they do … This is letting them know we don’t take you for granted, that we see you.”
The resolution received unanimous committee support before being passed onto the full Congress for a vote. That day, several of the Wildland Fire Management crew members were present for the vote.
Before the vote, Revard noted all Congress members signed on as co-sponsors and read the resolution, which stated “(Wildland Fire Management Director) Ross Walker and his team have responded to 89 fires this year covering a total of 96,737 acres” and has been assisted by various federal and tribal fire departments through the years. Crews traveled to numerous areas throughout the country to assist in those firefighting efforts as well.
Also, Revard noted “Wildland Fire coordinates with 52 volunteer fire departments and the city departments of Hominy, Pawhuska and Skiatook to keep fire suppressed in order to protect the lives and property within the boundaries of the Osage Nation. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Osage Nation Congress hereby commends the Wildland Fire Management Department and the affiliated Department of the Interior employees for the Eastern Oklahoma Region who are sponsored by the Osage Nation for the important and dangerous work they do to protect the people living and working within the boundaries of the Osage Nation.”
Walker also spoke that day after the vote acknowledging the government officials and fellow firefighting officials and agencies mentioned. “Speaker, Assistant Chief, members of Congress: Thank you guys, we really appreciate it, I’m also going to say a lot of these people that you mentioned are here today, some aren’t here today … You guys got these people coming in to assist us, sacrificing their time with their family and loved ones at home, so I commend you guys and we thank you.”
According to the Nation’s website, the Wildland Fire Management Department is responsible for approximately 200,000 acres of trust/restricted lands scattered in a checkerboard formation lying inside 1,470,559 acres that make up Osage County/Osage Nation Reservation. For more information, visit: https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/services/wildland-fire-management
