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H.R. No. 224
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Too often in life our everyday heroes are overlooked
or overshadowed in the news by the famous or infamous, although
there is little doubt that these individuals exist, and in their
brave response to Hurricane Katrina, 111 Texas game wardens proved
to be just such heroes; and
WHEREAS, For the first time in its history, the Law
Enforcement Division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department was
asked to assist another state, and on August 30, 2005, within 12
hours of the request, the first of two teams of wardens was deployed
to Louisiana for search and rescue operations; and
WHEREAS, From the outset, these dedicated professionals
faced myriad challenges in simply trying to secure basic
necessities; they moved twice before they found housing that could
accommodate them for an indefinite length of time, and they had to
confront the issues of finding ample fuel and appropriate
replacement parts for their fleet of vehicles and boats; as these
supplies were only available well outside of New Orleans, the
wardens met another challenge in attempting to organize their
efforts 50 miles from the city; and
WHEREAS, Further unimaginable obstacles awaited them when
they arrived in the heart of the devastation; amid massive
flooding, a heavily damaged infrastructure, looting, periods of
gunfire, and grim reminders of the event's human toll, teams of
wardens set out to search for those who were trapped or immobile;
for 10 days, often working around the clock, they visited numerous
homes, apartment complexes, hospitals, and other businesses,
rescuing nearly 5,000 hurricane victims along the way; and
WHEREAS, Wardens from across the state, with every level of
experience, undertook this extraordinary effort with the utmost
professionalism and commitment; there was no way to prepare them
for the magnitude of destruction and desperation they would
encounter, yet through it all, they remained steadfast in their
determination to assist their fellow Americans; and
WHEREAS, Contributing to the search and rescue operations in
New Orleans were the following Texas Game Wardens: Colonel Pete
Flores, Lieutenant Colonel Craig Hunter, Majors Al Vielma, Bill
Robinson, Butch Shoop, David Sinclair, Grahame Jones, Larry Young,
Robert Carlson, and Steve Whiteaker, Captains Albert Lynch, Danny
Shaw, Eddie Tanuz, Fred Churchill, Garry Collins, Gary Dugan, Gary
Palmer, Gus Sorola, Henry Balderamas, James Connally, Larry Hand,
Rex Mayes, Rick Gully, Rick Medford, Robert Goodrich, Scott
Krueger, and W. J. Rawls, Lieutenant Scott Jurk, Sergeant Game
Wardens Adam Chrane and Johnny Longoria, and Game Wardens Alan
Biggerstaff, Albert Flores, Andrew Ozuna, Arthur Lawrence, Bill
Jones, Billy Lucio, Bobby Strickland, Brad Meloni, Brannon
Meinkowsky, Brent Isom, Brent Whitus, Buddy Mills, Calvin Harbaugh,
Chad Jones, Chip Daigle, Chris Davis, Chris Stautzenberger, Chuck
Cotton, Chuck Ford, Dale Moses, Dale Waters, Danny Tuggle, David
Chavez, David Heard, Dennis Gazaway, Derek Iden, Don Jackson, Ellis
Powell, Fred Ruiz, Gary Barnes, Gary Cain, Gary Hobbs, Gary Miller,
Heath Bragg, Hector Gonzalez, Ira Zuniga, J. C. Flores, Jason
McFall, Jay Oyler, Jerry Ash, Jesse Garcia, Jim Bob Van Dyke, Jim
Lindeman, Jimmy Woolley, John Thorne, Jon Brauchle, Josh Koenig,
Justin Eddins, Karen Simmons, Ken Jackson, Kerry Peterson, Kevin
Stancik, Kirk Jenkins, Kirk Permenter, Lane Pinckney, Leroy
Polnick, Luett McMahen, Mark Blount, Mark Chapa, Marty Martin,
Marvin Wills, Michael Jaramillo, Michael McCall, Mike Hoffmann,
Mike Morse, Mike Wheat, Neal McCarn, Phillip Wood, Quint Balkcom,
Ramiro Coronado, Randall Brown, Raul Gonzales, Rick Lane, Rip
Fluitt, Shane Lewis, Shawn Moore, Stephen Barbour, Tom Carbone, Tom
Gallenbach, Tony Norton, and Zak Benge; and
WHEREAS, Heroism takes many forms, from selflessly
responding during a crisis to volunteering for military service,
and these hard-working Texas game wardens have demonstrated through
their actions that they too are members of this special group of
people on whom others can rely; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas
Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby commend these 111 Texas
game wardens for their mighty search and rescue efforts following
Hurricane Katrina and extend to them deep appreciation for their
exemplary actions; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for these individuals as an expression of high regard by
the Texas House of Representatives.
Goodman
Craddick Giddings McReynolds
Allen Gonzales Menendez
Alonzo Gonzalez Toureilles Merritt
Anchia Goodman Miller
Anderson Goolsby Moreno
Bailey Griggs Morrison
Berman Grusendorf Mowery
Blake Guillen Naishtat
Bohac Haggerty Nixon
Bonnen Hamilton Noriega
Branch Hamric Oliveira
Brown of Kaufman Hardcastle Olivo
Brown of Brazos Harper-Brown Orr
Burnam Hartnett Otto
Callegari Hegar Paxton
Campbell Hernandez Pena
Casteel Herrero Phillips
Castro Hilderbran Pickett
Chavez Hill Pitts
Chisum Hochberg Puente
Coleman Hodge Quintanilla
Cook of Navarro Homer Raymond
Cook of Colorado Hope Reyna
Corte Hopson Riddle
Crabb Howard of Fort Bend Ritter
Crownover Howard of Travis Rodriguez
Davis of Harris Hughes Rose
Davis of Dallas Hunter Seaman
Dawson Hupp Smith of Tarrant
Delisi Isett Smith of Harris
Denny Jackson Smithee
Deshotel Jones of Lubbock Solis
Driver Jones of Dallas Solomons
Dukes Keel Strama
Dunnam Keffer of Dallas Straus
Dutton Keffer of Eastland Swinford
Edwards King of Parker Talton
Eiland King of Zavala Taylor
Eissler Kolkhorst Thompson
Elkins Krusee Truitt
England Kuempel Turner
Escobar Laney Uresti
Farabee Laubenberg Van Arsdale
Farrar Leibowitz Veasey
Flores Luna Villarreal
Flynn Madden Vo
Frost Martinez West
Gallego Martinez Fischer Wong
Gattis McCall Woolley
Geren McClendon Zedler
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 224 was adopted by the House on May 1,
2006, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House