BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:icalendar-ruby CALSCALE:GREGORIAN X-WR-CALNAME:Emergency manager leads Pokagon Band tribal safety efforts X-WR-TIMEZONE:Indiana (East) BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260717T142502Z UID:tag:localist.com\,2008:EventInstance_50463028412830 DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250817 DESCRIPTION:As part of EMA Appreciation Week\, IDHS is proud to highlight t he outstanding work of one of Indiana’s dedicated emergency managers. An gelia Ramos is not just serving a community\, but a sovereign nation. \n\n A Unique Role with a Broad Reach\n\nThe Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians is a federally recognized tribe with reservation lands across 10 counties in Michigan and Indiana\, including the South Bend area. Its emergency ma nager\, Ramos\, plays a vital role in ensuring the safety of Pokagon citiz ens nationwide and coordinating preparedness and response efforts across t ribal lands.\n\nUnlike traditional emergency management roles confined by county boundaries\, her responsibilities span multiple jurisdictions and r equire a culturally grounded\, community-first approach.\n\n“Being a tri bal emergency manager means serving as a bridge between my community’s r ich cultural heritage and modern emergency response practices\,” she sai d. “It’s not just a job — it’s a calling.”\n\nLeadership During Earthquake Exercise\n\nThis summer\, she served as incident commander duri ng the Indiana Wabash Valley Seismic Zone earthquake exercise\, a full-sca le event designed to test multi-agency coordination in a low-probability\, high-impact scenario.\n\nHer primary responsibilities included:\n\nEnsuri ng incident safetyAchieving incident stabilizationSupporting the preservat ion of property and the environmentDespite a real-world weather event unfo lding at the same time as the exercise\, she maintained real-time communic ation with her tribal logistics section chief and coordinated effectively with the exercise’s IMAT team.\n\n“The exercise reminded us that earth quakes — though rare in our region — can happen. It revealed capabilit y gaps we can now address\,” Ramos said.\n\nCollaboration and Cultural W isdom\n\nThe exercise also offered a chance to work with unfamiliar teams under realistic conditions\, much like an actual deployment. Her leadershi p helped ensure smooth collaboration with supporting agencies\, many of wh ich were familiar partners.\n\nHer approach to emergency management is dee ply influenced by tribal culture and traditional ecological knowledge. \n\ n“Our elders and those with access and functional needs have always been prioritized\,” she said. “Native cultures understand the signs of nat ure — when certain plants close their leaves\, it signals changing weath er\; when wildlife takes shelter\, we do the same.”\n\nA Career Built on Passion and Purpose\n\nRamos’ path into emergency management began in h ealth care\, where she served as a nursing manager. That experience led he r to pursue a bachelor’s degree in emergency management from North Dakot a State University\, followed by the National Disaster and Emergency Manag ement University (NDEMU).\n\nShe now holds the Michigan Professional Emerg ency Manager (PEM) designation\, serves as chairperson of the Tribal Affai rs Caucus within the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM ) and is now pursuing her master’s degree in emergency management from P urdue University.\n\n“It’s an honor to work alongside someone who brin gs such depth\, professionalism and cultural insight to the field. Her lea dership during the Wabash Valley exercise was exceptional\, and her commit ment to building resilient\, inclusive systems is a model for all of us\, ” said IDHS District Liaison Dustin Drake. “EMA Appreciation Week is t he perfect time to recognize her contributions — not just to the Pokagon Band\, but to the broader emergency management community across Indiana. ”\n\nBuilding a Resilient Future\n\nRamos’ efforts extend beyond exerc ises and planning. She writes a preparedness column for the tribal newslet ter\, teaches FEMA courses tailored to tribal communities and leads outrea ch initiatives to keep Pokagon citizens informed and empowered.\n\nShe con tinues to advocate for:\n\nStronger tribal representation in emergency pla nningPre-disaster agreements and mutual aid partnershipsEquitable access t o federal funding and resourcesCulturally grounded\, sovereignty-respectin g frameworks“Emergencies begin local and end local\,” she said. “Tha t’s why I’ve built strong relationships with emergency managers across all the counties where our tribe resides. Mutual support is essential.” LOCATION: SUMMARY:Emergency manager leads Pokagon Band tribal safety efforts URL;VALUE=URI:https://events.in.gov/event/pokagon-band-emergency-manager CATEGORIES:News END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR