Karen Thurman: “I appreciate this, and I certainly appreciate my colleagues bringing this to the floor today. This is a really important…”

“I appreciate this, and I certainly appreciate my colleagues bringing this to the floor today. This is a really important issue for all of us from Florida. I, too, would like to offer my deepest appreciation to all of the men and women who have left their families and who have risked their lives to fight these deadly blazes. These disastrous fires have uprooted hundreds throughout Florida. For some of us who have visited the sites of the worst fire outbreaks, I can tell my colleagues it is absolutely heart-wrenching. These people, my neighbors, my constituents, never thought their lives would be affected by a fire. One hundred ninety-three people, many of whom are fire fighters have been injured. More than 337 homes have been destroyed and 33 businesses have been decimated. I hasten to think about the damage and destruction that would have befallen Florida without the decisive action by these fire fighters. Throughout this ordeal, in an amazing expression of unity and compassion, 7,000 men and women from 46 States have shown the world what it really means to care about their neighbors. And believe me, all Floridians are appreciative.”