[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 95 (Wednesday, July 20, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 20, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                        TRIBUTE TO MADELYN DICK

                                 ______


                            HON. MIKE PARKER

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 20, 1994

  Mr. PARKER. Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today, in the people's 
chamber, to honor Mrs. Madelyn Dick, the Pike County, MS, Civil Defense 
Director. Mrs. Madelyn will be retiring on August 1 from this position 
which she has officially held for the past 13 years. With over 30 years 
of selfless service to Pike County, she has earned the respect, honor 
and friendship of local, State, and Federal officials, including my 
own, as well as that of the thousands of people she has helped.
  Mrs. Madelyn worked with her late husband, Mr. Arsene Dick, in the 
Pike County Rescue Unit, which was established in 1964. Mr. Arsene 
became Pike County's first full-time civil defense director in 1972, 
with Mrs. Madelyn working side by side with her husband as his 
operations director. The civil defense office originally was located 
next to their home until it was moved to its present location in McComb 
in 1974.
  In 1981, Mr. Arsene passed away, and Mrs. Madelyn took on the job of 
civil defense director. She helped establish the enhanced 911 emergency 
telephone system in Pike County and has served as 911 coordinator since 
its inception in 1986. She accepted the enormous task of naming all the 
roads in Pike County, which now number at nearly 650. Countless times 
over the years, she has brought emergency grant funds to Pike County 
and earned the respect of State and Federal emergency management 
officials. She created a low-income food program, the Emergency Food 
and Shelter Program, for the elderly in Pike County. Then the food was 
delivered to the Civil Defense Office and she distributed it, with the 
help of the county road crew.
  Through the years, she has coordinated many rescue operations and was 
always personally on the scene to lead and offer assistance. For 
instance, she spent more than 76 hours on the job with little or no 
rest during Hurricane Andrew. During emergencies, she has served as 
dispatcher for the county road crew, dedicating numerous hours during 
tornadoes and floods to ensure that crews were sent where they were 
needed. Mrs. Madelyn also served as coordinator for Pike County's rural 
fire departments since their inception. She has seen to it that those 
departments have state-of-the-art equipment, some of the best in the 
State of Mississippi. Thanks to her efforts, these fire departments are 
ranked in the top ten in our State. With her dedication to public 
service and keen interest in good government, Mr. Madelyn also has 
served as secretary for the Pike County Democratic Executive Committee.
  I personally am proud to call her my friend. I am extremely proud to 
represent in Congress this fine leader and true friend to people in 
need. Her career as director has been stellar. Mr. Speaker, at this 
time, I ask that my colleagues join me in saluting this hero, my 
friend, Madelyn Dick, for her personal strength, her many outstanding 
achievements, her willing sacrifices to her community and her 
dedication to excellent public service.

                          ____________________