[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 3816]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                IN RECOGNITION OF RHINELANDER, WISCONSIN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK GREEN

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 9, 2004

  Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, today before this House I'd like 
to recognize Rhinelander, Wisconsin, which recently hosted a collapsed 
structure training exercise for first responders from across northern 
Wisconsin.
  On September 11, 2001, America learned that the best way to defend 
ourselves against a terrorist attack is through preparation. We were 
all caught off guard by the terrible events of that day, but rather 
than wait around for another terrorist strike, America's first 
responders rallied to make our Nation safer than ever.
  Last December, fire fighters, medical professionals and security 
officials from my district gathered together in Rhinelander to address 
a serious issue in our area's emergency response network--structural 
collapses. These first responders received significant training and 
instruction on how to secure the scene around a collapsed structure and 
rescue those trapped inside.
  Keeping America safe means preparing to stop terrorists wherever they 
may strike. To terrorists who target all Americans, small towns and 
villages are just as vulnerable as big cities, and we cannot ignore 
their needs for greater security. First responders in northern 
Wisconsin continue to prepare for the unthinkable, and they are a 
superb example to small communities around the country.
  Mr. Speaker, it is an honor and pleasure to recognize Rhinelander for 
its leadership in the war on terror, and on behalf of the residents of 
Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District, we say keep up the great work.

                          ____________________