[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 24 (Tuesday, February 27, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H1281-H1282]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               RESPONDING TO A DISASTER IN POOLVILLE, TX

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas, Mr. Pete Geren, is recognized for 5 minutes.

[[Page H1282]]

  Mr. PETE GEREN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have the honor of 
representing the tiny community of Poolville in Parker County, TX, 
northwest of Fort Worth, TX. Poolville headlined the national news last 
week with grass fires that left hundreds homeless and charred over 
20,000 acres.
  I want to thank the Federal, State, and county officials for their 
dedicated work. They responded innovatively, quickly, and helped divert 
what could have been an even worse disaster. But, above all, Mr. 
Speaker, I want to commend the hundreds of volunteer firefighters who 
fought the blaze until it was finally brought under control, fought it 
well past the point of their personal exhaustion, and kept going until 
the job was finished.
  Mr. Speaker, the selfless response of the neighbors to the plight of 
those who were the fire victims, neighbors from hundreds of miles away 
gave of their time, they gave of their money, they gave of their 
resources, and they opened their homes to attend to the needs of the 
fire victims. The response was truly an inspiration.
  Mr. Speaker, the Poolville fire was a disaster. The human response to 
the fire to this disaster, was a triumph of the human spirit.

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