[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 124 (Thursday, September 26, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1667]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO KIMBERLY PARKER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SCOTT McINNIS

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 25, 2002

  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of the 
thousands of unsung heroes who help make our communities safe in the 
face of disaster. Kimberly Parker is such a person, contributing her 
time and efforts to preparing local agencies and organizations to 
handle potential, large-scale emergencies. It is with great respect I 
stand to honor a woman who has dedicated herself to mitigating the 
terrible affects of unexpected tragedy.
  As emergency manager for Mesa County in Colorado, Kimberly spends her 
time concerned with problems that rarely cross the minds of others. In 
fact, it is because of her the people in Mesa County rest assured 
knowing their communities and local agencies continuously get the 
training and expertise they need to handle the expected problems like 
Y2K, or the unforeseeable like a flash flood. She constantly stands 
ready to assess, coordinate, and respond to emergencies in order to 
minimize their impact on the public.
  In the face of 9/11, Kimberly was quick to pull together all the 
emergency and security agencies to help create an appropriate and 
coordinated response through the county's Incident Management Group. 
She maintained a steady and important stream of accurate information to 
calm nerves and dispel the many rumors that proliferated in the 
aftermath surrounding the tragedy. Kimberly continues to share the 
lessons she has learned in her efforts to prepare for the future by 
training her Incident Management Group to better react to the new 
dangers that threaten our country and communities since 9/11.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to praise Kimberly Parker before this body 
of Congress and our Nation. Her efforts on behalf of the communities of 
Mesa County highlight her commitment to preserving life and security. 
Kimberly's vigilant and expert handling of recent crises has made her a 
beacon of assurance in these turbulent times and deserves our praise.

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