[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 145 (Tuesday, August 10, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S6268]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          RECOGNIZING FL-1 URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE TASK FORCE

  Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the 
bravery and selfless service of the individuals who responded to the 
building collapse in Surfside, FL, on June 24, 2021.
  I want to thank the FL-1 Urban Search and Rescue Task Force--FL-TF1--
for responding when the Champlain Towers South condo building in 
Surfside, FL, suddenly collapsed in the middle of the night. They 
swiftly heeded the call of duty to provide search, rescue, and recovery 
efforts following the collapse. In the face of tremendous tragedy, they 
ran into danger. They are heroes.
  FL-TF1 is one of 28 Federal search and rescue task forces overseen by 
FEMA, and its capabilities include search and rescue, emergency care, 
engineering expertise, and logistics. When they are not being 
dispatched to countries in crisis, many of them work for Miami-Dade 
Fire Rescue as local firefighters.
  FL-TF1 has responded to some of the world's most notable disasters, 
including earthquakes, terrorist attacks, and plane crashes, among 
others. They responded once before in their own community, when 
Hurricane Andrew hit south Florida in 1992. Their expertise and range 
of skills has made them invaluable in disasters and well-known 
internationally. These brave men and women dropped everything to 
selflessly assist in Surfside, a particular challenge since the tragedy 
affected their own community, and some had missing friends or loved 
ones.
  FL-TF1 worked nonstop and with heavy hearts following the collapse in 
Surfside to provide comfort and closure for the families. They worked 
tirelessly, even when smoke and heat from a fire inside the building's 
standing portion hampered their efforts. They persisted when the 
temperatures escalated so much that some needed IVs to replenish 
fluids. They continued on when Tropical Storm Elsa passed nearby and 
dumped torrential rain. They left the pile only when they absolutely 
had to. They braved conditions the likes of which we could never 
imagine.
  I also want to thank FL-TF1 dogs for their hard work to support 
search, rescue, and recovery efforts. We cannot thank these brave men 
and women of the FL-TF1 enough. They are heroes who stepped up to serve 
the community in the wake of an unprecedented and unimaginable 
disaster. Not only did they help lead the search, rescue, and recovery 
operation, they also provided endless care and compassion to the 
families of Surfside and did everything they could to bring closure to 
those who lost loved ones.
  We are incredibly grateful to these heroes and their families for 
their bravery, self-sacrifice, and determination in the face of this 
terrible tragedy. Ann and I are praying for the Surfside community, our 
Jewish community, the families and loved ones of the lost, and all of 
those who worked tirelessly to serve the Surfside community.

                          ____________________