[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 38 (Thursday, March 6, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E316-E317]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CONGRATULATING KAREN SKORDINSKI, A RECIPIENT OF THE STATE OF TEXAS 
                EXCELLENCE IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL C. BURGESS

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 6, 2008

  Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Karen 
Skordinski of Flower Mound, Texas for her many contributions to the 
State of Texas and the north Texas region. Ms. Skordinski was recently 
named one of four recipients of the Emergency Management Award for the 
State of Texas.
  The Excellence in Emergency Management Award is presented annually to 
State and local emergency management projects, activities and campaigns 
that advance the goals of saving lives and protecting property by 
mitigating, preparing for, responding to, or recovering from disasters 
and emergencies in Texas. Recipients of this award must exemplify model 
emergency management by developing and implementing an exceptional 
emergency management project, activity or campaign in Texas during the 
past year.
  Ms. Skordinski is acknowledged for her work developing Flower Mound's 
Emergency Management Plan and for the Community Emergency Response 
Team, CERT, Program.

[[Page E317]]

She is the Emergency Management Specialist for Flower Mound and has 
worked in emergency management for 5 years. Before then, she worked in 
the town's geographical information systems department, which designs 
the town's maps.
  Prior to her work in north Texas, Ms. Skordinski worked with 
geographical information systems at Cape Canaveral, Florida, and was a 
geographical information systems contractor for the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA.
  Ms. Skordinski started Flower Mound's CERT program after learning 
about it from a Flower Mound firefighter. She felt that it was 
important to start this program in order to get the citizens of Flower 
Mound more involved in the Fire Department. In the years since Ms. 
Skordinski began the CERT program, numerous residents have received the 
training required to respond to emergency situations, making the 
community safer for all.
  Madam Speaker, it is an honor today to rise in recognition of Ms. 
Skordinski's dedication to the safety and well-being of her fellow 
Flower Mound citizens. She is truly deserving of such an enormous 
honor. Flower Mound is now a safer city, and all those who recognize 
the contributions of Ms. Skordinski are truly grateful. She is an 
inspiration to all Americans devoted to community service.

                          ____________________