[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 464]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS

  (Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
Indiana's outstanding first responders and emergency management 
officials because, when times truly get tough, we rely on them to 
protect our loved ones, neighbors, and friends, and we rely on them to 
save lives.
  This past week, a nearly unprecedented wave of frigid temperatures 
and snow bore down on the Hoosier State. In Madison County, Indiana, 
windchills plummeted to nearly 40 degrees below zero. In Hamilton 
County, Indiana, more than a foot of snow made roads unpassable. At one 
point, there were more than 70,000 power outages in our State, and 
schools actually still remain closed even today, for the entire week.
  Fortunately, Hoosiers were able to rely on a coordinated and 
effective response from government officials, first responders, utility 
providers, and volunteers. They relied on our National Guard, which 
stepped up to assist in clearing roads. They relied on police officers 
and firefighters, who went door-to-door. They relied on the Red Cross, 
which set up numerous emergency shelters. In Indianapolis, they relied 
on the Mayor's Action Center, which took more than 10,000 calls to 
address their concerns.
  It is times like these when we are reminded how much we rely on our 
emergency management people. We rely on them to be ready, and they 
always answer the call. For that, we are so grateful.

                          ____________________