[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 5584-5585]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT ANSWERS THE ALARM

  (Mr. POE of Texas asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, a chemical warehouse in 
my Texas district exploded into a startling

[[Page 5585]]

inferno. Fiery containers of chemicals shot into the air like rockets. 
The smoke and heat were intense. But the Houston Fire Department 
quickly answered the alarm.
  Mr. Speaker, over 200 firefighters from 32 fire stations responded to 
the hellish inferno. Spring Branch Elementary and nearby homes were 
evacuated. But the smoke and fire were conquered. The school and homes 
were saved. Not one person was injured.
  Mr. Speaker, firefighters are a special breed. They risk their lives 
to save our lives. They restore order from chaos. These firefighters 
are to be thanked and appreciated. Firefighter courage and dedication 
to protecting us is part of what makes them a special breed.
  While others flee in haste of impending danger, the firefighter, with 
sirens, red lights, horns, red and white trucks, charge into the jaws 
of heat, smoke, and fire to defeat and conquer danger.
  Mr. Speaker, Houston firefighters answered the alarm--they always 
answer the alarm.
  And that is just the way it is.

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