[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 40 (Thursday, March 21, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E404]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 AMERICAN RED CROSS: MEETING THE TEST OF A TOUGH WINTER IN RHODE ISLAND

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                             HON. JACK REED

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 20, 1996

  Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to let my 
colleagues know about the outstanding work of the Rhode Island Chapter 
of the American Red Cross during the terrible winter of 1995-96.
  Even though spring is now officially here, it will be a long time 
before Rhode Islanders forget this past winter.
  The harsh weather shattered all previous records for Rhode Island 
winters. We had the heaviest cumulative snowfall in recorded Rhode 
Island history, 93.2 inches; 75.6 inches was the previous record. 
Starting with last November 13, Rhode Island had 37 days of snowfall, 
with 11 major snowstorms rolling through our State.
  In addition to the harsh weather, this past winter has also brought 
terrible environmental and human tragedy to Rhode Island.
  On January 19, the oil barge North Cape ran aground on a southern 
Rhode Island beach, spilling over 800,000 gallons of home heating oil 
into our State's pristine coastal environment. Once this disaster 
began, it set into motion an emergency response and cleanup process 
that lasted days and involved over 1,000 Federal, State and local 
officials, private contractors, and U.S. Coast Guard personnel.
  In terms of human tragedy, this past winter has been a season of 
terrible home fires in Rhode Island. According to the office of Rhode 
Island's Fire Marshal, the winter of 1995-96 was a time when the loss 
of life and destruction of property in Rhode Island due to fire showed 
a marked increase over previous years.
  The one constant throughout all of Rhode Island's winter hardship was 
the hard work of the staff and volunteers of the Rhode Island Chapter 
of the American Red Cross.
  The Red Cross was there during all the winter storms. When a snow 
plow hit an electrical transformer, knocking out power to a Bristol 
nursing home, the Red Cross helped evacuate the nursing home residents. 
When Pawtucket snow removal crews working round-the-clock needed cots 
to rest on before going back out on the road, the Rhode Island Chapter 
of the American Red Cross got it done.
  The Red Cross was also there during the North Cape oilspill. 
Throughout the cleanup, 110 Rhode Island Red Cross Chapter volunteers 
were on the scene providing over 8,500 meals, enabling work crews to 
stay at their jobs from sunup to sundown.
  And the Red Cross was there for all of Rhode Island's tragic winter 
fires. From last November until the end of winter, the Rhode Island 
Chapter of the American Red Cross helped an estimated 400 Rhode 
Islanders get back on their feet after a total of 125 fires.
  It is in the aftermath of a fire that Rhode Island's Red Cross 
Chapter provides perhaps its most valuable ongoing service to our 
State. Last year, 26 Rhode Islanders died as a result of fire. When 
this tragedy does occur, the Red Cross is there with counseling for 
survivors and for emergency response crews. The volunteers and staff of 
the Rhode Island Chapter of the American Red Cross also provide food, 
shelter, and clothing--often in the middle of the night--for Rhode 
Islanders whose homes have been destroyed by fire.
  The Rhode Island Chapter of American Red Cross performs all these 
tasks, with a small staff, a very limited budget and an army of 
dedicated volunteers. I commend the chairman of the board of the Rhode 
Island Chapter of the American Red Cross, Richard Moore, its executive 
director, Barbara G. DeCesare, and the entire staff of the Rhode Island 
Chapter of the American Red Cross, for all their hard work. Most of 
all, I would like to thank all of Rhode Island's Red Cross volunteers, 
for helping our State make it through a difficult winter.

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