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1996 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 266
Commending the citizens, volunteer organizations, and local, state and federal agencies for their heroic relief efforts during the Flood of 1995.

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 26, 1996
Agreed to by the Senate, February 1, 1996

WHEREAS, on June 27, 1995, Virginia was hit by torrential rainfall causing some of the worst flooding in decades in many areas of the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, particularly devastated by what is now called the Flood of 1995 were Madison, Orange, Greene and Culpeper Counties, where the floods washed out roads and bridges, caused mud slides, trapped many residents in their homes, and threatened the lives and property of thousands of people; and

WHEREAS, thanks to the prompt and seemingly inexhaustible response of many individuals and relief organizations, loss of life was minimal, many people were spared even worse damage, and repair and rebuilding efforts began promptly; and

WHEREAS, local rescue teams from the U.S. Coast Guard, the Virginia State Police and the National Guard moved quickly to rescue people from life-threatening situations; and

WHEREAS, road crews from the Virginia Department of Transportation worked around the clock to repair, replace, and reopen vital roads and bridges; and

WHEREAS, hundreds of personnel from local sheriffs' offices, volunteer fire departments and rescue squads, and state forestry, game and correctional agencies responded to the emergency; and

WHEREAS, the American Red Cross established emergency shelters for citizens driven from their homes by the devastating floods; and

WHEREAS, a range of relief agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Farmers Home Administration, quickly began assisting people in the arduous recovery and rebuilding tasks; and

WHEREAS, these and other individuals and organizations responded with alacrity, compassion, heroism and great effectiveness to keep an already terrible natural disaster from becoming worse; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly commend most highly the hundreds of individuals who responded so quickly and so effectively in helping the citizens of Madison, Orange, Greene and Culpeper Counties during the Flood of 1995; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit copies of this resolution to the newspapers serving the affected counties so that the residents may be apprised of the gratitude of the General Assembly.