‘We are resilient’: South Dakota couple snowed in after two weeks

A number of blizzards, ice storms, and below-zero temperatures have pummeled the Midwest, leaving two South Dakotans snowed in for greater than two weeks.

OJ and Barb Semans stay on the Rosebud Reservation about 100 miles south of Pierre, South Dakota, close to the Nebraska border. The final time the Semans have been in a position to depart their residence was on Dec. 12.

“Properly, me and my spouse been on this home for 15 days, and she or he hasn’t killed me but. So we’re doing good,” OJ Semans joked to KELO. “Yeah, it’s one thing completely different that’s by no means occurred in my lifetime. You already know, to truly be snowed in, not going to the shop. I imply, not going to the gasoline station, not going uptown, not checking the mail, simply right here, snowed in.”

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Semans mentioned after one week of being snowed in, they ran out of propane. Their son walked by the bitter storm for an hour to deliver them extra.

“We’ve been fortunate. Our electrical energy solely went out for a number of hours and got here again on. So you realize, we’ve our meals and provisions and stuff. We begin the automobile up day-after-day to ensure that if we ever get out, it’ll begin,” Semans mentioned.

The couple misplaced water for a number of days and needed to dig round of their yard for an out of doors spigot to make use of.

Semans acknowledged that not everybody within the space has been as lucky. As the realm’s tribes’ guide with FEMA, he has been working to get federal help.

“I’ve been working forwards and backwards with FEMA emails and getting the paperwork prepared. Attempting to get the presidential declaration despatched to the president to get some assist down right here,” Semans mentioned.

On Thursday, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem declared a state of emergency and activated the state’s Nationwide Guard to ship firewood from the Black Hills Forest Service to the Rosebud Reservation.

Noem spokesman Ian Fury mentioned South Dakota’s Division of Public Security had cleared roads on each reservations, labored to coordinate transportation for dialysis sufferers, assisted stranded drivers, and delivered meals, firewood, and propane to varied communities.

Semans, nonetheless, mentioned their inventory of provides wouldn’t final for much longer and famous extra assistance is essential. He estimated that between seven and 10 individuals have died as a result of current storm.

(Vicki Weekly by way of AP)

“Monday night time, we misplaced one other particular person who was caught in White River, lived out within the nation, kinda like I do,” Semans mentioned. “It took them a number of hours to open the roads and get to his home. By the point they obtained there, he was sick, they loaded him up, and on the way in which again, he handed away.”

Semans praised the assistance of the Nationwide Guard and the tribe’s work to clear roads.

“EPP staff which were working, you realize, 24/7,” Semans famous. “You already know, a few of them, it takes three hours to get 1 / 4 mile as a result of that snow is so onerous.”

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He added that their sense of group is carrying them.

“It’s all household,” Semans mentioned. “We’re resilient, we’ll hold doing what we’re doing.”