Butte Tribe of Bayou Bourbeaux

Emegency Preparedness

The Butte Tribe of Bayou Bourbeaux (BTBB) is located in region seven's Natchitoches parish. The Tribe entered a contractual agreement with LDH Bureau of Minoriy Health Access and Promotons to:  

Expand emergency preparedness trainings for tribal members and their families of the BTBB to include "All-Hazards" trainings that will consist of Active Shooter, Cyber Attack, Earthquake, Extreme Heat, Flood, Hurricane, Power Outages, Tornado, Wildfire, Thunderstorm, Hail and Winter Storm. Emergency Preparedness procedures, Pandemic Coronavirus, and quarantine protocols will continue in conjunction with All-Hazards trainings. Tribal aides, teachers, and medical advisors for BTBB will train tribal members and their families how to establish their own emergency preparedness plans. These aides, teachers, and medical advisors provide the following training:

1. Selecting and purchasing necessary equipment and supplies for use in trainings, its proper use, care, and handling.
2. Training on all-hazards emergencies and communications using broadband and/or hand-held radios (walkie-talkies).
3. Training on the safe use of portable generators.
4. Training on building an emergency supply of non-perishable foods, to include food preservation safety (canning, dehydrating, etc.).
5. Emergency readiness procedures.
6. Setting mobilization points.
7. How to mobilize.
8. How to account for the number of people mobilized and moved.
9. How to handle people with special needs and disabilities.
10. How to execute the emergency preparedness checklist.
11. Moving residents to Evacuation Rendezvous Areas (evacuation purposes only).
12. Moving out to a destination in an orderly manner (evacuation purposes only).

Contractor will oversee train-the-trainer sessions for teachers appointed by the BTBB Committee to teach in the following areas:

▪ How to assemble emergency preparedness kits.
▪ Bring in mental and behavioral health professionals (to teach how to prevent panic and stress in emergency situations).
▪ Interpret business-related documents for those with low literacy levels.
▪ Teach them how to work as a team in emergencies.
▪ Allow the Bureau of Family Health from the Office of Public Health to instruct tribe members how to handle pregnant and newborn mothers during emergencies.
▪ Bring in pandemic flu experts to conduct tabletop exercises for tribal members.
▪ Train on proper pet care during emergencies.

Comprehensive Health

Butte Emergency & Awareness Response (BEAR) Network –Tribe has expanded the BEAR Network emergency preparedness initiative with a monthly podcast on YouTube located at https://youtu.be/-sBn12jEGtc . The hosts are tribal members. The April podcast talked about flood safety, tornado safety, and the benefits of walking. Tribal social media is updated weekly about the BEAR Network initiative. Tribal website (buttetribe.org) is updated regularly with associated news articles. A tribal member technology expert is doing a system analysis to create a BEAR Network tribal database, which is in the development phase.

The Butte Tribe provides healthy foods to BTBB members and their families through BUTTE TRIBE GARDENS. BTBB members  planted, raised, and harvested tribal community Spring/Summer/Fall gardens. The importance of fresh foods in one’s diet is an essential part of a healthy body and mind. For those members who are under-privileged and living in poverty stricken rural areas of Natchitoches Parish, the price of fresh fruits and vegetables has sky-rocketed in today’s economy. Not only can they not afford fresh food, but fresh food is hard to find due to the fact that very few gardens are planted as a result of the cost of labor and supplies to produce fresh foods. Volunteer members will deliver crops to elders and disabled members. 

Council Chief Shannon Collum has organized the Bear Tribe Bear Tracks Project, a healthy eating and exercise program. Flyers are posted on the tribe website and Facebook page to inform tribal members about the program. At the next tribal gathering, members will be taught how to use their fitness apps to keep track of their progress.

Butte Emergency & Awareness Response (BEAR) Network – Tribe has expanded the BEAR Network emergency preparedness initiative by creating a biweekly podcast on YouTube located at https://youtu.be/-sBn12jEGtc . The hosts are tribal members, and they will be talking about awareness, such as being aware of your surroundings, and being aware of cyber security (identity theft, phishing emails, etc.). They will also discuss “All-Hazards” trainings as listed in the contract. The first podcast aired on January 8, 2023, and the hosts discussed how to be prepared for winter. 

In the Facebook group “Real Native American Story Group,” Council member Tammy Perot describes how the tribe has a tribal garden that feeds hundreds of families each spring and fall, and that we are active working members of the community, striving to aiding and improving lives around us. The article also states that the tribe is working with Rudy Macklin and participating in emergency preparedness as well as evacuation readiness. He has also aided us in mental health and fitness programs.