By McClendon                                           H.R. No. 747
         76R12146 MDM-D                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, Residents of Central Texas will long remember the
 1-2     October 1998 floods not only for the weather's catastrophic effects
 1-3     on people and property but also for the unwavering courage
 1-4     displayed by members of the San Antonio Fire Department in the face
 1-5     of significant peril; and
 1-6           WHEREAS, Although the property damage wreaked by this natural
 1-7     disaster reached millions of dollars, the degree and depth of human
 1-8     suffering resulting from this tragedy cannot be so easily counted,
 1-9     and our hearts go out to those who have experienced loss; and
1-10           WHEREAS, Throughout the weekend of October 17-18, the San
1-11     Antonio Fire Department responded to a barrage of calls for help in
1-12     life-threatening situations resulting from the fast-rising
1-13     floodwaters and torrential rains; and
1-14           WHEREAS, The city's firefighters handled more than 400
1-15     high-water rescues from the predawn hours Saturday to midmorning
1-16     Sunday, retrieving hundreds of citizens stranded in their cars or
1-17     on the rooftops of their homes; rescuers maneuvered fire trucks,
1-18     boats, Jet Skis, helicopters, and inflatable craft in their
1-19     diligent efforts to save lives; and
1-20           WHEREAS, Although the rescuers themselves were frequently in
1-21     danger from the treacherous water, the selfless individuals of the
1-22     San Antonio Fire Department demonstrated strength of body and
1-23     spirit and a steadfast devotion to assisting those in need; and
1-24           WHEREAS, The San Antonio firefighters whose commitment to
 2-1     their fellow man galvanized their actions above and beyond the call
 2-2     of duty are truly worthy of our highest praise and recognition, for
 2-3     their valor and compassion exemplify the highest ideals of the
 2-4     fire-fighting profession; now, therefore, be it
 2-5           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas
 2-6     Legislature hereby commend the courageous members of the San
 2-7     Antonio Fire Department, whose exceptional actions during the 1998
 2-8     flood in Central Texas affected the lives and well-being of so
 2-9     many.