[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Pages 6258-6259]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO BRAVE GEORGIAN RESCUERS

 Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize three 
Georgians who went above and beyond the call of duty in a daring rescue 
mission yesterday. We watched with awe as Robert Clines, Larry Rogers 
and Matt Mosely successfully rescued Ivers Sims, a construction worker 
who found himself suspended some 180-feet in the air trapped by a 
raging fire.
  Roger Clines, a Georgia Department of Natural Resources pilot, and 
his navigator Larry Rogers negotiated their helicopter through 
treacherous wind, smoke and fire, as Atlanta firefighter Matt Mosely 
dangled on a rope to rescue Mr. Sims--a dramatic and heroic scene.
  I want to take a moment to recognize and honor the teamwork, 
dedication and bravery that resulted in this successful rescue mission. 
These three men, in the true spirit of heroism, risked their lives for 
the sake of a fellow human being.
  Addtiionally, I would like to take this opportunity to honor and pay 
tribute to all of Atlanta's firefighters, the Atlanta police officers, 
Sheriff's deputies, and the Cabbagetown residents themselves, who 
worked together to fight the massive fire that engulfed the historic 
cotton mill. Our firefighters, facing shortages of equipment and 
personnel, heroically fought and contained a fire that could have 
destroyed an historic neighborhood currently being revitalized. 
Residents at home during the fire helped by rescuing neighbors' pets, 
and used garden hoses to extinguished burning debris.
  As devastating as it was for residents of Atlanta's Cabbagetown to 
watch this historic landmark burn, the heroism of the day--like 
Atlanta's symbol the Phoenix--rose from the ashes. Although we mourn 
the loss of this historic landmark, it is good to know that

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we will remember this day not for the tragedy that could have been, but 
for the heroism that was.

                          ____________________