[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 22027]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING THE CHESTERFIELD COUNTY EMS, POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS

 Mr. ALLEN. Mr. President, I am honored today to recognize the 
Emergency Medical Services, EMS, Police and Fire Departments of 
Chesterfield County. It is through their brave and steadfast actions 
during the floods of Tropical Storm Gaston that the lives of many 
Virginians were saved.
  Throughout the evening and overnight hours on Monday, August 30, 
2004, the remnants of Tropical Storm Gaston entered the Central 
Virginia area. Although the weather forecasts called for 1-3 inches of 
rain, Chesterfield County residents found themselves under as much as 
10 inches of rain in some areas that night. As a result, numerous roads 
began to flood and several swift-water rescues had to be made in the 
complete darkness. These rescues tested the knowledge, skills and 
abilities of the members of Chesterfield Fire, Police and EMS; their 
heroic actions under the extreme pressures they faced that night saved 
many members of their community from life-threatening conditions.
  Today, I commend: David A. Stone, James B. Anderson, Richard A. 
Holmes, Daniel Juan Robertson, Jim Fitch, Stuart Smith, Curtis Sink, 
Steve Stump, Mike Larkin, William Smith, Steve Traylor, Chris Harrell, 
Bill Jeffords, Mark Berry, Frank Blankenship, Brian Riffe, Jack Speed, 
Roger Warden, Bryce Ford, Brook Keenum, Rick Bucher, Jim Stanley and 
the many other rescuers from Chesterfield County who saved so many 
lives at their own peril on that fateful night.
  I am pleased to recognize the selfless actions of these tremendous 
men and women, which demonstrate the incredible dedication, 
determination and courage they have in serving their community. 
Virginia should be proud of the brave work undertaken by the rescue 
workers in Chesterfield County. Their community is a better and safer 
place because of the job they did that night and each and every 
day.

                          ____________________