"Maine Firefighters Answer A Call For Help From Quebec"

Every day across this country, firefighters quietly put their lives on the line in
order to protect the communities in which they serve.  Few firefighters
better exemplify the selfless qualities that characterize this select group of
public safety personnel than those in Franklin County, Maine, who recently
rushed to the aid of their Canadian neighbors to help combat a deadly fire in
the border town of Lac-Megantic, Quebec.

In the early morning hours of Saturday, July 6, 2013, a freight train carrying
hundreds of thousands of gallons of crude oil was sent hurtling toward
Lac-Megantic, a small, picturesque Canadian village located only 30 miles from
the Maine border.  The train derailed in the center of town, leveling
several blocks and killing numerous residents.  This unthinkable loss has
touched every member of that close-knit community.  My heart goes out to
the family and friends of the victims of this tragedy, and my thoughts and
prayers are with the residents of Lac-Megantic during this time of
mourning.  Yet, out of this terrible calamity, I was exceedingly heartened
to hear the stories of more than 30 firefighters from the Maine towns of
Chesterville, Eustis, Farmington, New Vineyard, Phillips, Strong, and Rangeley,
who answered their Canadian neighbors' call and reported for duty.

Within mere hours of the accident, the Franklin County Emergency Management Agency
alerted these seven area fire departments, and the Maine firefighters were at
the scene.  Upon arriving in Lac-Megantic, these firefighters overcame
tremendous obstacles in order to combat the flames.  The initial blasts
had severed the town's phone lines, power, and water supply, leaving Canadian
firefighters unable to use the fire hydrants.  Maine fire trucks, equipped
with the capability of drawing water directly from the nearby lake, allowed
firefighters to cool off the remaining fuel-laden cars that were in danger of
combusting, likely averting additional destruction.

The response of the Maine firefighters demonstrates the best qualities of
international cooperation as well as the tenets of the brotherhood of
firefighters.  Maine and Eastern Canada are bound together by history,
family ties, and friendship, and that special relationship was clearly evident
on the morning of July 6.  Despite challenges posed by incompatible hose
couplings, different radio systems, and even a language barrier in
French-speaking Quebec, Maine and Canadian firefighters worked side-by-side to
quickly and effectively douse the flames and mitigate the damage caused by this
dreadful accident.

The valiant and selfless efforts of these Maine firefighters are unquestionably
worthy of our respect and gratitude.  This unassuming group of first
responders never thought twice about helping their Canadian neighbors and
fellow firefighters.  I applaud the firefighters of Chesterville, Eustis,
Farmington, New Vineyard, Phillips, Strong, and Rangeley, as well as the effective
coordination of these departments by the Franklin County Emergency Management
Agency.  Truly, we can feel secure knowing that these heroes, and career
and volunteer firefighters all around our state, are always willing to risk
their lives to help save our lives.