Recognizing Florida's Urban Search and Rescue Task Force Teams

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 all eight of Florida's Urban Search and Rescue Task Force teams from Miami-Dade County, the city of Miami, Hillsborough County, Central Florida, Northeast Florida, Southwest Florida, North Florida, and North Central Florida for responding when the Champlain Towers South condo building in Surfside, FL, suddenly collapsed in the middle of the night. They swiftly heeded the call of duty to assist in search, rescue, and recovery efforts following the collapse. In the face of tremendous tragedy, they ran into danger. They are heroes.

Florida's Urban Search and Rescue Task Force teams are deployed to aid communities following a natural or manmade disaster, and all eight deployed to Surfside to aid in the search, rescue, and recovery efforts. Nearly 370 urban search and rescue members worked on-site, making this the largest nonhurricane deployment in Florida's history.

Some of these responders lost family in the collapse; yet they still answered the call. Rescue crews worked tirelessly, 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.

I also want to thank Florida's Urban Search and Rescue Task Force teams dogs for their hard work to support search, rescue, and recovery efforts. Florida's Urban Search and Rescue Task Force teams are heroes who stepped up to serve the community in the wake of unprecedented and unimaginable disaster. Not only did they help lead the search, rescue, and recovery operation, they provided endless care and compassion to the families of Surfside and did everything they could to bring closure to those who lost 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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