[Excerpts from Governor Marc Racicot's remarks for the Hamilton, Montana 
Town Meeting, September 5, 2000]


There's probably not very much I could tell you about disasters that you don't 
already know, having lived in the eye of the hurricane for some period of time now.  Of 
course, you've received all of the technical briefings from a perspective of all those who 
have been engaged in heroic fashion in battling these blazes.  When I stand up to talk 
to you about these particular issues of course I, like you, am moved and inspired by the 
extraordinary dedication of so many people, so many friends and neighbors, people 
who work for volunteer fire departments, those who live next door to one another, 
soldiers from all over the country and from all over the continent, all standing shoulder 
to shoulder and addressing all of these issues that have confronted us here in the state 
of Montana.  You simply can't help but be inspired by such an exceptional dedication 
as all of these people have demonstrated.

This has been the largest mobilization of personnel, resources, technology and 
machinery to a single disaster in the history of the United States of America.  We know 
that something extraordinarily difficult and catastrophic has happened here in our state 
by that measure alone.  But for every Montanan or everyone who loves Montana, and I 
suspect that is a vast majority of people in the United States of America, there is 
something sad that has happened here as well, something that has been gripping and 
difficult emotionally to deal with. 

So, we have been through some trying times and we have marshaled together 
virtually every asset and resource we know how to bring to bear to focus upon these 
issues.  And we have called upon friends and neighbors all over the planet and they 
have responded, and universally they have been overwhelmed with the character of the 
people of the state of Montana and with their demonstration of kindness and tolerance 
and, perhaps most importantly, their ability to endure.

Not many people quote Calvin Coolidge any more.  In fact, I'm not altogether 
certain how many people ever quoted Calvin Coolidge.  But he did say something that 
appears to me to be strikingly important to remember tonight.  And that is all that really 
matters is endurance...  Calvin Coolidge said that the world was full of unfulfilled 
genius.  He said ultimately those who endured were the ones who ultimately 
succeeded.  And that, I think, is a quality of character that Montanans share in large 
measure, uniquely, on this planet.  We will endure and we will persist in our efforts, and 
we will succeed?

We may not always agree.  I have noticed, that in my service to you, we are 
inclined to share candid thoughts with one another, which I think provides an 
opportunity for us to grow.  But in the end, we will come together and we will address 
these issues and we will become what all of us want to be as a state, and we will make 
certain that we live up to the expectations of one another.

I know, as we address the fire's damage, we can take comfort and thank God for 
sparing each human life associated with fighting it. We have expended many 
resources, lost treasures that we relied on, but, thankfully, no one we love.

The damages are extraordinary.  We have been, in the state of Montana, going 
through an exceptionally large amount of resources.  We've probably spent close to 
$200 million in the state of Montana alone.  And firefighting costs across the western 
United States will approach a billion dollars.  And that's just the suppression costs 
alone.  We don't know precisely, yet, how much Montana will be responsible for.  But 
we have received some unprecedented assistance from the federal government.

First of all, we've had partnerships with the Forest Service, with the BLM and 
FEMA and the Small Business Administration that I believe each of you would find 
inspiring.  People have worked together without concern for any parochial interests and 
have dedicated themselves exclusively, as a team, to addressing all of the fire issues.  
And that includes not only the federal agencies, but the state and local agencies all 
working together, as well.

So, we have a lot of work to do.  A lot of work has been done, but we have a lot 
of work left to be done to address all of the issues that not only have to do with 
suppression, but also with the recovery, rehabilitation, and reclamation efforts? So, 
we're going to be working very hard? 

I wish somehow there was something, some way that we could communicate? 
how grateful all those who have visited here and worked here feel for the kindnesses 
that have been extended to them, which seems to me to be ironic in some respects.  
Yet somehow, because of the conduct and demeanor of Montanans, they feel this 
strange sense of gratitude at being invited here to fight fire, to breathe smoke, to get 
dirty and grimy and possibly to be subjected to all kinds of different threats, including 
even the possibility of losing their lives. They say they are grateful for having had the 
opportunity.

It says to me something awfully special about the people of the state of Montana. 
I know that I am certainly proud and grateful for the opportunity to serve you and to 
work with you through this process.  But I hope you, too, feel a collective and an 
individual sense of pride in how Montana has revealed itself, through its people, to the 
rest of the world.
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