About the Emergency Management & Safety Department

The focus of the Emergency Management & Safety Department (EM&S) is to provide the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi and its Business Enterprises with a premier emergency management/preparedness and safety program which protects the GLT, the citizens, our employees, vendors and contractor personnel. Our intent is to implement a well-designed emergency management and safety program utilizing best practices and the latest in written programs, operational guidelines and procedures. This can best be accomplished by partnering with our citizens, employees and other stakeholders to provide coaching and training programs to protect our sovereignty and maintain our elders vision of integrity, spirit, culture and self-sufficiency now and in the future.

Emergency Preparedness

The Emergency Management & Safety Department is committed to relaying important emergency information to the community and public. Gun Lake Tribe works very closely with Allegan County and local communities to alert residents, guests and visitors in the event of emergency and/or severe weather. The Tribe has installed outdoor warning sirens and will continue to do so in the future.

Gun Lake Tribe maintains Emergency Plans [Emergency Operations Plan, Hazard Mitigation Plan and Specialty Plans] Supporting tribal sovereignty. These plan use an all-hazard approach to emergency planning. The plan is a live and changing document which lays out specific responsibilities, for staff, resources and operating procedures for responding to all types of emergencies. The plan may be used in response to man-made events, natural disasters (such as tornadoes, floods and ice storms) and technological disasters (such as cyber-events, hazardous material spills and transportation accidents). We believe in a proactive strategy to identify and protect the Gun Lake population, entities and its facilities.

Gun Lake Tribes Emergency Management & Safety Department joins the United States Department of Homeland Security in recommending that all Gun Lake Tribal citizens and employees be ready and prepared for emergencies by taking the following steps.

1. Put together an emergency supply kit: This kit should include the basics such as water, non-perishable food, battery powered lights and radios with extra batteries and a first aid kit. Be sure to also consider items to accommodate family members’ special needs such as prescription medications, infant formula, pet food and important family documents.
2.  Make sure your family has a plan in case of an emergency: Sit down together and decide how you will get in contact with each other, where you will go and what you will do in an emergency; Determine a neighborhood meeting place, identify an out-of-town emergency contact, inquire about emergency plans at places where you family spends time; employers, daycare providers, schools, etc.
3. Talk to your neighbors about how you can work together: In the event of an emergency, you will be better prepared to safely reunite your family and loved ones. If you think ahead and communicate with others, you will be well on your way to safety.

For further information, materials, and tools to help prepare your family, home and business for all types of emergencies, visit, Build A Kit | Ready.gov or call 1.800.BE.READY. We plan to offer Community Emergency Response Team/Student Emergency Response Team training for information check out, Emergency Response Plan | Ready.gov.