[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 145 (Tuesday, August 10, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S6269]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     RECOGNIZING FLORIDA'S URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE TASK FORCE TEAMS

  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 all eight of Florida's Urban Search and Rescue Task 
Force teams from Miami-Dade County, the city of Miami, Hillsborough 
County, Central Florida, Northeast Florida, Southwest Florida, North 
Florida, and North Central Florida 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 assist in 
search, rescue, and recovery efforts following the collapse. In the 
face of tremendous tragedy, they ran into danger. They are heroes.
  Florida's Urban Search and Rescue Task Force teams are deployed to 
aid communities following a natural or manmade disaster, and all eight 
deployed to Surfside to aid in the search, rescue, and recovery 
efforts. Nearly 370 urban search and rescue members worked on-site, 
making this the largest nonhurricane deployment in Florida's history.
  Some of these responders lost family in the collapse; yet they still 
answered the call. Rescue crews 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 their 
families and faced dangerous and life-threatening conditions, and they 
never gave up hope. Their work to recover victims gave closure to so 
many families, and I am so proud of these Florida heroes.
  I also want to thank Florida's Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 
teams dogs for their hard work to support search, rescue, and recovery 
efforts. Florida's Urban Search and Rescue Task Force teams are heroes 
who stepped up to serve the community in the wake of unprecedented and 
unimaginable disaster. Not only did they help lead the search, rescue, 
and recovery operation, they 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 can never thank them and their families enough 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.

                          ____________________