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“IN PRAISE OF WEST VIRGINIANS DURING RECENT FLOOD DISASTER” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E176-E177 on Feb. 5, 1996.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
IN PRAISE OF WEST VIRGINIANS DURING RECENT FLOOD DISASTER
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HON. NICK J. RAHALL II
of west virginia
in the house of representatives
Thursday, February 1, 1996
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, it is difficult to know where to begin in praise of the people of West Virginia in their concerted and unselfish efforts to help start cleaning up and digging out after recent disastrous floods throughout 6 of the 16 counties I have the high honor to represent in the House. The counties which are scheduled to receive both Federal and State assistance were: Mercer, Greenbrier, Pocahontas, Webster, Summers, and Monroe Counties.
Let me begin by saying that the West Virginia Legislature acted promptly and with compassion without politics in expeditiously approving the State's matching share of $7.5 million to begin to assist southern West Virginia to clean up and dig out after the devastation of the flood waters. The Salvation Army, who is ever present at disasters of all kinds, was there in force to help southern West Virginia. The West Virginia National Guard provided cleaning supplies, shovels, and helped set up the shelter at the elementary school in Talcott, Summers County, for families and children whose homes were washed away or who had to be evacuated from their homes. Our National Guard was super.
The State Department of Highways and county emergency services directors took immediate action to make heavy equipment available and provided other debris-removal and salvage assistance. Directors of emergency services made local relief available immediately. Local businesses are to be commended highly for their free donation of necessary supplies of immediate necessity to families in the community at large in dealing with all aspects of the flooding.
Deserving of highest praise were the local fire departments, city mayors, county commissioners, and concerned individuals and families who took it upon themselves to stand by night and day to provide food and beverages for the workers, and shelter, blankets, space heaters, and clothing for families.
I would like to specifically mention many of--but not all--those individuals and agencies by name, who were strong and steadfast in getting assistance to those who needed special food for those on medically required diets, many who needed warm clothing for themselves and children who lost homes and escaped with only the clothes on their backs. There were those in need of special medications left behind when home evacuations were necessary, and transportation was provided for those in need of a physician's care or for shopping for other of life's necessities for people finding themselves suddenly homeless. And those who wanted cleaning supplies and brooms, shovels, and water hoses to start getting rid of the mud and muck in their homes, businesses, churches and public buildings were also served by local businesses and emergency relief offices mentioned above.
First I want to pay tribute, with the highest praise possible, to the Talcott Volunteer Fire Department Chief Tom Talbott and Tim Ulrich, his able assistant chief, in Summers County--for it was this volunteer fire department that stood by night and day throughout the flood's intensity and afterward, and who provided food and drink for everyone else on the flood sites. These volunteers showed real leadership in stressful and often dangerous situations, including heroic rescues, and who helped keep the local victims of the flood--their neighbors--calm, sale, warm, and fed.
In that context, I wish to convey special thanks and gratitude to the following individuals who are members of the Talcott Volunteer Fire Department:
Kenny Simmons, Pete Weikle and his sons, David, James, and Darin; Matt Stalnaker, Evelyn and Robert Bailey, Wayne Martin, Bryan Keatley, Wesley Ward and John Gold, Kellis Miller, Tommy Ward, and Charles
``Chucky'' Gore, all of whom responded beyond the call of duty as they reached out to neighbors and friends to provide food and shelter.
During my tour of Pocahontas County's Marlinton flood area, I received able assistance and support from Dana Moyers, president of the Pocahontas County Commission, and Commissioner Joel Collison, as well as county superintendent of schools, Thomas Long. I have the highest praise for Marlinton's acting mayor, Jean Hite, who did an outstanding job. For myself and all others engaged in assessing how to best meet the short- and long-term needs of the city's people, she went all out to make the city's emergency relief and other resources available. Her's was a job well done.
Last, but certainly not the least of fine-caliber, able people who accompanied me on the Marlinton tour of damages, I am most deeply appreciative of the work and support of Jane Price Sharp, of the Pocahontas Times, whose job it was to observe and to write of the flood and its devastating effects on people and institutions. Under the time-
honored banner of the Fourth Estate's credo that ``people have the right to know,'' Jane did an outstanding job.
The Salvation Army--any organization on which all of can and do rely during disasters of all kinds--were outstanding in their offers of assistance to individuals and families and followed through with clothing, blankets, and all other forms of human assistance possible to the flood victims throughout the areas hardest hit.
I want to particularly thank Mayor Jim Leslie of Hinton in Summers County for his assistance in touring the Bluestone Dam. My deep appreciation goes to Mayor Lindy Hodges of Ronceverte in Greenbrier County, who met me at the Ronceverte townhall--the old townhall because the new one was flooded--as we discussed Greenbrier County to assess the damage and determine what the immediate and long-term needs would be.
Mayor Tom Housby of Alderson, between Monroe and Greenbrier Counties, met me at the Alderson townhall and accompanied me to view the flood's toll taken on the people, their homes and businesses in that area, and to do a quick assessment of damage and loss there.
And I salute the locally elected members of the West Virginia Legislature, Delegate Ron Thompson of Beckley, Delegate Mary Pearl Compton of Summers County, house majority leader Jim Rowe and Delegate Bill Wallace of Greenbrier County, Delegate Joe Martin and Delegate Bill Proudfoot of Pocahontas County, and State Senators Mike Ross and Walt Helmick, for their quick action along with their colleagues in the West Virginia House of delegates and the State senate, to approve the State's matching share of funds so that the cleanup of their communities could go forward.
Honorable mention must go also to Postmaster John ``Bill'' Dillion, of the Talcott Post Office, and his assistant Lorene Cales, and carriers Ronnie Quick and Patsy Mills for keeping the post office open for mail services as well as a community center, so that not only could people get their mail--a very important daily ritual of normalcy for people everywhere--as well as a place for people to gather and assure one another that they were safe. I commend each of them for this public service and for their humanitarian concern.
My hat is off to Talcott Elementary School Principal Gaye Shaver, whose assistance in turning the school's gymnasium and cafeteria over as a shelter to families seeking refuge from the storms and the rising waters is and was invaluable. Praise goes also to Rev. Dana Stalnaker, pastor of the local Baptist Church for helping with the shelter and getting the Red Cross involved in Summers County, and to Peggy Elkins who started within a few hours of receding flood waters to obtain local emergency relief for families--while awaiting the often longer process of getting State and Federal relief started. Thank you Peggy.
During the early tour of the flood-torn area in my district, I was accompanied by FEMA's regional director from Kansas City, John Miller, who was asked by the Philadelphia Regional Director to help us out due to the intensity of the flooding.
In the week after the floods, after the six counties were declared an emergency disaster area by the President, I was joined by FEMA Director James Lee Witt on a tour of Pocahontas County and other areas, again to stress the need for Federal assistance and to assess the extent of the damages suffered in the six-county area.
As we have seen happen in natural disasters throughout the country and the world, people do come together and help one another in times of stress and even danger. Disasters, call upon the best that is in us--
and people seldom fail to meet their duties and responsibilities to their neighbors both close and far.
This is what I have observed in West Virginia: A binding together of people from all walks of life, helping each other in this most frightening of ordeals with floodwaters swirling about their homes, schools, churches, businesses, and public buildings. It makes me very proud to be a West Virginian and to be their Representative in Congress.
My hat is off to the people of West Virginia--all those whom I have named in these remarks, and all those whose names are unknown to me who did their part and who continue to help one another.
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