[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 15 (Monday, February 5, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E176-E177]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       IN PRAISE OF WEST VIRGINIANS DURING RECENT FLOOD DISASTER

                                 ______


                         HON. NICK J. RAHALL II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 1, 1996

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, it is difficult to know where to begin in 
praise of the people of West Virginia in their concerted and unselfish 
efforts to help start cleaning up and digging out after recent 
disastrous floods throughout 6 of the 16 counties I have the high honor 
to represent in the House. The counties which are scheduled to receive 
both Federal and State assistance were: Mercer, Greenbrier, Pocahontas, 
Webster, Summers, and Monroe Counties.
  Let me begin by saying that the West Virginia Legislature acted 
promptly and with compassion without politics in expeditiously 
approving the State's matching share of $7.5 million to begin to assist 
southern West Virginia to clean up and dig out after the devastation of 
the flood waters. The Salvation Army, who is ever present at disasters 
of all kinds, was there in force to help southern West Virginia. The 
West Virginia National Guard provided cleaning supplies, shovels, and 
helped set up the shelter at the elementary school in Talcott, Summers 
County, for families and children whose homes were washed away or who 
had to be evacuated from their homes. Our National Guard was super.
  The State Department of Highways and county emergency services 
directors took immediate action to make heavy equipment available and 
provided other debris-removal and salvage assistance. Directors of 
emergency services made local relief available immediately. Local 
businesses are to be commended highly for their free donation of 
necessary supplies of immediate necessity to families in the community 
at large in dealing with all aspects of the flooding.
  Deserving of highest praise were the local fire departments, city 
mayors, county commissioners, and concerned individuals and families 
who took it upon themselves to stand by night and day to provide food 
and beverages for the workers, and shelter, blankets, space heaters, 
and clothing for families.
  I would like to specifically mention many of--but not all--those 
individuals and agencies by name, who were strong and steadfast in 
getting assistance to those who needed special food for those on 
medically required diets, many who needed warm clothing for themselves 
and children who lost homes and escaped with only the clothes on their 
backs. There were those in need of special medications left behind when 
home evacuations were necessary, and transportation was provided for 
those in need of a physician's care or for shopping for other of life's 
necessities for people finding themselves suddenly homeless. And those 
who wanted cleaning supplies and brooms, shovels, and water hoses to 
start getting rid of the mud and muck in their homes, 

[[Page E177]]
businesses, churches and public buildings were also served by local 
businesses and emergency relief offices mentioned above.
  First I want to pay tribute, with the highest praise possible, to the 
Talcott Volunteer Fire Department Chief Tom Talbott and Tim Ulrich, his 
able assistant chief, in Summers County--for it was this volunteer fire 
department that stood by night and day throughout the flood's intensity 
and afterward, and who provided food and drink for everyone else on the 
flood sites. These volunteers showed real leadership in stressful and 
often dangerous situations, including heroic rescues, and who helped 
keep the local victims of the flood--their neighbors--calm, sale, warm, 
and fed.
  In that context, I wish to convey special thanks and gratitude to the 
following individuals who are members of the Talcott Volunteer Fire 
Department:
  Kenny Simmons, Pete Weikle and his sons, David, James, and Darin; 
Matt Stalnaker, Evelyn and Robert Bailey, Wayne Martin, Bryan Keatley, 
Wesley Ward and John Gold, Kellis Miller, Tommy Ward, and Charles 
``Chucky'' Gore, all of whom responded beyond the call of duty as they 
reached out to neighbors and friends to provide food and shelter.
  During my tour of Pocahontas County's Marlinton flood area, I 
received able assistance and support from Dana Moyers, president of the 
Pocahontas County Commission, and Commissioner Joel Collison, as well 
as county superintendent of schools, Thomas Long. I have the highest 
praise for Marlinton's acting mayor, Jean Hite, who did an outstanding 
job. For myself and all others engaged in assessing how to best meet 
the short- and long-term needs of the city's people, she went all out 
to make the city's emergency relief and other resources available. 
Her's was a job well done.
  Last, but certainly not the least of fine-caliber, able people who 
accompanied me on the Marlinton tour of damages, I am most deeply 
appreciative of the work and support of Jane Price Sharp, of the 
Pocahontas Times, whose job it was to observe and to write of the flood 
and its devastating effects on people and institutions. Under the time-
honored banner of the Fourth Estate's credo that ``people have the 
right to know,'' Jane did an outstanding job.
  The Salvation Army--any organization on which all of can and do rely 
during disasters of all kinds--were outstanding in their offers of 
assistance to individuals and families and followed through with 
clothing, blankets, and all other forms of human assistance possible to 
the flood victims throughout the areas hardest hit.
  I want to particularly thank Mayor Jim Leslie of Hinton in Summers 
County for his assistance in touring the Bluestone Dam. My deep 
appreciation goes to Mayor Lindy Hodges of Ronceverte in Greenbrier 
County, who met me at the Ronceverte townhall--the old townhall because 
the new one was flooded--as we discussed Greenbrier County to assess 
the damage and determine what the immediate and long-term needs would 
be.
  Mayor Tom Housby of Alderson, between Monroe and Greenbrier Counties, 
met me at the Alderson townhall and accompanied me to view the flood's 
toll taken on the people, their homes and businesses in that area, and 
to do a quick assessment of damage and loss there.
  And I salute the locally elected members of the West Virginia 
Legislature, Delegate Ron Thompson of Beckley, Delegate Mary Pearl 
Compton of Summers County, house majority leader Jim Rowe and Delegate 
Bill Wallace of Greenbrier County, Delegate Joe Martin and Delegate 
Bill Proudfoot of Pocahontas County, and State Senators Mike Ross and 
Walt Helmick, for their quick action along with their colleagues in the 
West Virginia House of delegates and the State senate, to approve the 
State's matching share of funds so that the cleanup of their 
communities could go forward.
  Honorable mention must go also to Postmaster John ``Bill'' Dillion, 
of the Talcott Post Office, and his assistant Lorene Cales, and 
carriers Ronnie Quick and Patsy Mills for keeping the post office open 
for mail services as well as a community center, so that not only could 
people get their mail--a very important daily ritual of normalcy for 
people everywhere--as well as a place for people to gather and assure 
one another that they were safe. I commend each of them for this public 
service and for their humanitarian concern.
  My hat is off to Talcott Elementary School Principal Gaye Shaver, 
whose assistance in turning the school's gymnasium and cafeteria over 
as a shelter to families seeking refuge from the storms and the rising 
waters is and was invaluable. Praise goes also to Rev. Dana Stalnaker, 
pastor of the local Baptist Church for helping with the shelter and 
getting the Red Cross involved in Summers County, and to Peggy Elkins 
who started within a few hours of receding flood waters to obtain local 
emergency relief for families--while awaiting the often longer process 
of getting State and Federal relief started. Thank you Peggy.
  During the early tour of the flood-torn area in my district, I was 
accompanied by FEMA's regional director from Kansas City, John Miller, 
who was asked by the Philadelphia Regional Director to help us out due 
to the intensity of the flooding.
  In the week after the floods, after the six counties were declared an 
emergency disaster area by the President, I was joined by FEMA Director 
James Lee Witt on a tour of Pocahontas County and other areas, again to 
stress the need for Federal assistance and to assess the extent of the 
damages suffered in the six-county area.
  As we have seen happen in natural disasters throughout the country 
and the world, people do come together and help one another in times of 
stress and even danger. Disasters, call upon the best that is in us--
and people seldom fail to meet their duties and responsibilities to 
their neighbors both close and far.
  This is what I have observed in West Virginia: A binding together of 
people from all walks of life, helping each other in this most 
frightening of ordeals with floodwaters swirling about their homes, 
schools, churches, businesses, and public buildings. It makes me very 
proud to be a West Virginian and to be their Representative in 
Congress.
  My hat is off to the people of West Virginia--all those whom I have 
named in these remarks, and all those whose names are unknown to me who 
did their part and who continue to help one another.

                          ____________________