| |
|
|
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 212
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Captain Shawn Stephenson, Lieutenant Jeff Evans, |
|
|
and Sergeant Steve Tippett of the Texas Department of Public |
|
|
Safety and game warden Cody Buckaloo of the Texas Parks and |
|
|
Wildlife Department are being honored with Life Saving Awards |
|
|
from the Texas Department of Public Safety on February 21, 2019, |
|
|
in recognition of their roles in the rescue of four Texans during |
|
|
the recent Llano River flood; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, On October 8, 2018, the city of Junction was |
|
|
pummeled by more than 18 inches of rain in the span of less than |
|
|
24 hours, causing the Llano River to spill over its banks; the |
|
|
flooding was particularly perilous to nearby recreational |
|
|
vehicle campgrounds, and as the river swelled to over 31 feet |
|
|
high, the onrush of water toppled and destroyed travel trailers |
|
|
and carried away many of their occupants; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Summoned to the area as part of a Texas Department |
|
|
of Public Safety helicopter crew, Captain Shawn Stephenson and |
|
|
Lieutenant Jeff Evans immediately began locating survivors and |
|
|
managed to save a man who was stranded in a cluster of trees; they |
|
|
subsequently linked up with Warden Cody Buckaloo, a rescue |
|
|
swimmer, and the three officers successfully pulled two more |
|
|
individuals and a pet dog out of the waters near the Main Street |
|
|
Bridge; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Captain Stephenson and Lieutenant Evans were |
|
|
later joined by Sergeant Steve Tippett, who took over the |
|
|
responsibilities of rescue swimmer from Warden Buckaloo, and the |
|
|
three men were called to conduct the rescue of a woman who had |
|
|
been struggling to stay afloat for hours; the fast-moving current |
|
|
made it difficult for Sergeant Tippett to reach the woman, and |
|
|
the team was forced to devise an alternative strategy; just as |
|
|
Sergeant Tippett entered the water, the victim succumbed to |
|
|
exhaustion and went under, but the officer was able to pull her to |
|
|
the surface and attach a harness; she was then rushed to the |
|
|
hospital and ultimately survived the harrowing ordeal thanks to |
|
|
the crew's courageous intervention; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, These public servants demonstrated a tremendous |
|
|
amount of technical skill and a willingness to perform their |
|
|
duties at great risk to themselves, and through their exceptional |
|
|
bravery, they helped prevent further loss of life; now, |
|
|
therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th |
|
|
Legislature, hereby congratulate Captain Shawn Stephenson, |
|
|
Lieutenant Jeff Evans, Sergeant Steve Tippett, and Warden Cody |
|
|
Buckaloo on their receipt of Life Saving Awards from the Texas |
|
|
Department of Public Safety and extend to them heartfelt |
|
|
gratitude for their heroism; and, be it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be |
|
|
prepared for each officer as an expression of high regard by the |
|
|
Texas Senate. |
|
|
Buckingham |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
________________________________ |
|
|
|
President of the Senate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I hereby certify that the |
|
|
|
above Resolution was adopted by |
|
|
|
the Senate on February 19, 2019. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
________________________________ |
|
|
|
Secretary of the Senate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
________________________________ |
|
|
|
Member, Texas Senate |