Congressmen Tim Moore and Mark Harris Honor NC State Rep. Dean Arp for Heroic Actions, Saving Richmond County Woman From House Fire

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressmen Tim Moore (NC-14) and Mark Harris (NC-08) took to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to honor North Carolina State Representative Dean Arp. On Monday night, while driving to Raleigh, Rep. Dean Arp noticed smoke coming from a mobile home in Richmond County and turned around to investigate. Realizing a 77-year-old woman in a wheelchair was trapped inside, he rushed into the burning home and pulled her to safety just moments before it was fully engulfed in flames.

“This was no ordinary thing,” said Congressman Moore. “When Representative Arp saw this trailer on fire, he had to actually go inside, and the lady was in a wheelchair, and I think he described her wheelchair as being as hot as a pan on a stove and got her out of there and clearly saved her life.”

“Not everyone would have the courage to step up and get engaged,” Congressman Harris said on the Floor. “Representative Arp clearly has a hero's heart, and in the day of the slogan, ‘if you see something, say something’. I thank God, Representative Arp saw something and did something to change the outcome.”

Watch the full remarks from both Congressman Moore & Harris here.

Full transcript:

REP. MOORE: “Mr. Speaker, Members of the House. I simply want to follow up on the comments made by my colleague, Representative Harris about representative Dean Arp. [I] had the opportunity to serve in the North Carolina General Assembly with him for many years and talk about a man who embodies a servant's heart. That is Dean Arp.

Part of the rest of the story that that Representative Harris didn't get a chance to mention, because we're a little time constrained, was that this was no ordinary thing. When Representative Arp saw this trailer on fire, he had to actually go inside, and the lady was in a wheelchair, and I think he described her wheelchair as being as hot as a pan on a stove and got her out of there and clearly saved her life.

But the one thing that's very telling about Representative Arp, he didn't give credit to himself. He gave credit to God, he said something told him to go back and had him on that particular route that day, at that time, to save that lady's life. And so, on behalf of all of our colleagues in the House, I want to congratulate a fine North Carolinian, a fine American, a fine man of God, Representative Dean Arp, congratulations.”

REP. HARRIS: “Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of my constituents, Representative Dean Arp of the North Carolina General Assembly, for going above and beyond and putting his life on the line for a fellow North Carolinian.

Just this week, on Monday night, Representative Arp found himself in a position of seeing something that just looked concerning during a road trip, he noticed smoke coming from a roadside mobile home being moved in his heart to turn around and stop. Representative Arp discovered a woman in a wheelchair trying to escape her burning home.

So what did Representative Arp do? He took his public service to a whole new level, rescuing her from the flaming house and saving the woman's life. Not everyone would have the courage to step up and get engaged. Representative Arp clearly has a hero's heart, and in the day of the slogan, ‘if you see something, say something’. I thank God, Representative Arp saw something and did something to change the outcome. Mr. Speaker, I yield back my time. Thank you.”