SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 8
(By Senators Claypole, Boley, Anderson, Bailey,
Blatnik, Burdette, Mr. President, Chafin,
Chernenko, Craigo, Dalton, Dittmar, Helmick,
Humphreys, Jones, Lucht, Manchin, Miller,
Minard, Plymale, Ross, Schoonover, Tomblin,
Wagner, Walker, Whitlow, Wiedebusch,
Withers, Wooton and Yoder)
Commending the outstanding dedication of employees, both public
and private, for their exceptional job performances during
the winter storms of January 1994.
Whereas, January, 1994, was a month which will live in
infamy in the minds of all West Virginians when two
record-breaking winter storms, one on January 4, 1994, and
another on January 17, 1994, struck the mountain state with huge
amounts of snowfall and record-breaking low temperatures; and
Whereas, The office of emergency services manned their
stations at the Capitol providing vital information to the
governor of West Virginia who issued a state of emergency and
mobilized the national guard to assist where possible. The
division of public safety, county sheriff's departments,
municipal police officers and municipal and volunteer fire
departments all rallied to the call for public assistance; and
Whereas, During the January 1994 winter storms, whichdeluged West Virginia with several feet of snow and minus zero
temperatures, the employees of West Virginia's state government,
charged with the duty of keeping the vital lifelines of West
Virginia open for the citizens of West Virginia, performed their
jobs with exceptional diligence and dedication; and
Whereas, Two thousand two hundred employees of the West
Virginia division of highways, responsible for clearing one
hundred fifty thousand lane miles of roadways throughout the
state, labored three hundred fifty thousand hours spreading over
one hundred thirty tons of salt and abrasives and performed their
jobs with exceptional dedication; and
Whereas, As heavy snows, trees and branches fell onto power
lines throughout the mountain state, power lines snapped under
the weight. Over one hundred eighty thousand West Virginians
were without electric power, many for a number of days.
Employees of West Virginia's various electric companies worked
endless hours attempting to restore the much needed electricity.
Assistance from five other states was called in to help. Despite
some delays, electricity was restored in record time to most West
Virginians; and
Whereas, The American red cross rallied to the urgent need
of the citizens of West Virginia by opening shelters around the
state so that citizens could get hot meals and warm places to
rest from the worst winter weather in decades; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate:
That the Senate hereby commends the volunteers andemployees, both public and private, who performed their duties
above and beyond the call of duty in order to keep West
Virginians safe and warm during the devastating snow storms of
January 1994; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to
forward a copy of this resolution to the governor of West
Virginia; the director of the office of emergency services; the
superintendent of the division of public safety; the commissioner
of the division of highways; the adjutant general of the West
Virginia national guard; the West Virginia sheriffs association;
the West Virginia fraternal order of police; the West Virginia
municipal league; the West Virginia firemen's association; and
the American red cross.