[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 177 (Monday, December 15, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2555]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  ADDITIONS TO NOVEMBER 5, 2003 FLOOR SPEECH IN SUPPORT OF H. RES. 425

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                            HON. JIM GIBBONS

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, December 15, 2003

  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 
425, a Resolution to recognize and honor the brave men and women who 
responded to the horrendous wildfires that plagued Southern California 
last month.
  While we all recognize that hundreds of first responders from the 
State of California bravely risked their lives to fight these 
wildfires, many Americans are less aware that hundreds of Nevada's 
first responders were also enlisted in this fight.
  In fact, during the course of this deadly natural disaster, the State 
of Nevada deployed over 450 brave Americans to Southern California to 
join their neighbors in the effort to quell this deadly natural 
disaster.
  These Nevadans included dozens of firefighters, paramedics, and 
highly-skilled mechanics.
  Northern Nevada-based crews from the United States Forest Service and 
the Bureau of Land Management along with engine crews from the Nevada 
Division of Forestry, Reno, Sparks, Storey County, Elko County and the 
North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District were dispatched on October 27 
to fight the Southern California fires.
  Additionally, four Ely firefighters, a member of Lovelock, Nevada's 
private fire department and a rescue truck formed a strike team with 
Walker Lake Paiute Tribe firefighters and firemen to join the united 
efforts across Nevada's Western border.
  Finally, two strike teams composed of firefighters from Las Vegas, 
Clark County, Henderson, Pahrump, the Nevada Test Site and the Naval 
Air Station at Fallon drove in to offer support to a base camp in 
Santee.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in 
supporting this important resolution. The brave first responders from 
all over the Western States, and Nevada, have earned this honor and I 
am pleased to recognize their selfless efforts today.

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