[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 71 (Wednesday, April 26, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E541]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING THE CLAY COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. SAM GRAVES

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 26, 2017

  Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I 
pause to thank and honor the Clay County Sheriff's Office for their 
efforts in serving Smithville following the March 6, 2017 tornado.
   The EF-2 rated tornado left a trail of destruction up to 1,000 feet 
wide and 18 miles long. In Smithville, over 60 houses were damaged with 
several completely destroyed, resulting in over 65 tons of debris. 
Miraculously, no injuries were sustained during the storm.
   After the storm, officers from the Clay County Sheriff's Office 
helped set up a perimeter, went door-to-door making sure residents were 
safe, and helped protect the neighborhood with a 24/7 presence in the 
days that followed. Their experience and training in emergency 
management was crucial as the city and residents began to put their 
lives back together. The effect of the Sheriff's Office on the 
neighborhoods affected by the tornado cannot be understated, whether 
through making the victims feel safe from scroungers or looters or by 
helping residents with their physical needs throughout the recovery.
   Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me and the community of Smithville 
in thanking Sheriff Paul Vescovo and the officers and staff of the Clay 
County Sheriff's Office for their service following the March 6 tornado 
and wishing them God's blessings and protection in the years to come.

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