Recognizing the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue
Floor Speech
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Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the bravery and selfless service of the individuals who responded to the building collapse in Surfside, FL, on June 24, 2021.
I want to thank Miami-Dade Fire Rescue for swiftly heeding the call of duty to provide search, rescue, and recovery efforts following the collapse. In the face of tremendous tragedy, they ran into danger. They are heroes.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded within minutes of the collapse, and their rapid response saved lives. They worked around the clock, and they were tireless in their pursuit to try and find survivors. These first responders braved extremely dangerous conditions to find those missing and to bring comfort and closure to the families of the victims.
Many of these responders had friends or family lost in the collapse; yet they still answered the call. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue never quit, even when smoke and heat from a fire inside the building's standing portion hampered their efforts. They persisted when the temperatures escalated so much that some needed IVs to replenish fluids. They continued on when Tropical Storm Elsa passed nearby and dumped torrential rain. They left their families and faced dangerous and life- threatening conditions, and they never gave up hope. Their work to recover victims gave closure to so many families, and I am so proud of these Florida heroes.
Not only did they help lead the search, rescue, and recovery operation, they also provided endless care and compassion to the families of Surfside and did everything they could to bring closure to those who lost loved ones.
I also want to thank the search and rescue dogs that helped this mission, along with the therapy dogs from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, who worked in shifts to provide relief and comfort to the victims and to their loved ones.
We can never thank them and their families enough for their bravery, self-sacrifice, and determination in the face of this terrible tragedy. Ann and I are praying for the Surfside community, our Jewish community, the families and loved ones of the lost, and all of those who worked tirelessly to serve the Surfside community.
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