[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16472]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  THE NINE FIREFIGHTERS OF CHARLESTON

  (Mr. POE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, firefighters are a special brand of people. 
When others are fleeing burning buildings, firefighters suit up and 
charge head first into the searing infernos and blackening smoke, not 
stopping until that beast is tamed. They go where others fear to tread.
  In Charleston, South Carolina, on Monday night, firefighters were 
called to a blaze at a local furniture store. As they were trained to 
do, they entered the engulfed building. Moments later, without warning, 
the roof of the furniture store collapsed, trapping and killing nine 
firefighters.
  Last night, at 7:00 p.m., 24 hours after the tragedy, at 30,000-plus 
fire stations across the plains of America, firefighters stood in 
reverent silence for their brothers. This devastation in Charleston is 
the single greatest sacrifice of American firefighters since 343 of 
them were killed on September 11.
  This Nation's firefighters are ordinary citizens armed with 
extraordinary bravery and dedication to the public. When danger occurs, 
most run from the danger, but America's firefighters are not like most. 
They run to the danger.
  And that's just the way it is.

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