House Bill 9005

    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                HR 9005

        By Representatives Lynn and Wiles






  1                         House Resolution

  2         A resolution honoring the firefighters, law

  3         enforcement and emergency services personnel,

  4         and volunteers from within the state and across

  5         the nation who assisted the State of Florida in

  6         fighting the catastrophic wildfires of 1998.

  7

  8         WHEREAS, the period from April through June of 1998 was

  9  the hottest and driest period recorded in the State of Florida

10  in 104 years, which created nearly desert-like conditions in

11  many areas of the state, and, as a result, wildfires exploded

12  around the state, beginning on May 25, 1998, in the

13  Apalachicola National Forest, and

14         WHEREAS, by the time the wildfires were over on July

15  22, 1998, nearly 500,000 acres of the state had burned in

16  nearly 2,300 separate fires, which over a few months was an

17  increase of more than 200 percent in the number of wildfires

18  and more than 1,700 percent in the number of acres burned

19  compared to the annual average of each over the previous 5

20  years, and

21         WHEREAS, the overall cost of those fires to federal,

22  state, and local government has reached $160 million and may

23  continue to increase, well over 300 homes were damaged or

24  destroyed, numerous businesses were forced to close or

25  suffered direct damage, an entire county had to be evacuated,

26  and the value of lost timber exceeded $300 million, and

27         WHEREAS, the response to the disaster was extraordinary

28  as firefighters, law enforcement and emergency services

29  personnel, and volunteers from communities across this state,

30  both affected and unaffected by the fires, and from across

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                HR 9005

    560-190B-99






  1  this nation rallied at the various fire sites to help bring

  2  the fires to an end, and

  3         WHEREAS, eight different fire complexes were

  4  established to manage an emergency response that involved 145

  5  different fire departments within the state, 150 aircraft, and

  6  more than 10,000 firefighters and emergency personnel from 47

  7  different states, and

  8         WHEREAS, in addition to the cooperative response of all

  9  levels of government, the various communities across this

10  state rallied to help those affected by offering not only

11  prayers but also food, clothing, shelter, and any other

12  support necessary at the time, and

13         WHEREAS, the State of Florida owes all who contributed

14  to the fighting of those wildfires a great debt of gratitude

15  for their heroic efforts, NOW, THEREFORE,

16

17  Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of

18  Florida:

19

20         That the Florida House of Representatives honors the

21  firefighters, law enforcement and emergency services

22  personnel, and volunteers from within the state and across the

23  nation who assisted the State of Florida in fighting the

24  catastrophic wildfires of 1998, and commends them for their

25  exemplary commitment, perseverance, and courage.

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