[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 10 (Tuesday, February 8, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E84]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING FIRE CHIEF ANGELO PETRARCA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JERRY WELLER

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 8, 2000

  Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Fire Chief Angelo 
Petrarca who retired on January 31, 2000 after 40 years of service in 
South Chicago Heights.
  Fire Chief Petrarca joined the South Chicago Heights Fire Department 
in June 1970. He became a Lieutenant in May 1971 and was appointed 
Assistant Fire Chief in May 1973. On May 1, 1974, Mr. Petrarca was 
appointed as Fire Chief.
  Chief Petrarca has been a resident of South Chicago Heights since 
1959, and is known to be completely dedicated to his career as well as 
to ensuring the health and well-being of the community. The major 
highlight of Chief Petrarca's career this past year involves the 
improvement of the fire departments response time which was previously, 
on average 6-7 minutes, before November 1998. The response time is now 
an impressive two minutes from the time of call to the actual arrival 
of EMS personnel on site. This is mostly due to Chief Petrarca's 
decision to staff the fire department with a 24 hour a day on duty 
paramedic along with another EMS professional on call seven days a 
week.
  Chief Petrarca also believes in giving of his time to various 
organizations both professionally and for the good of the community. 
Some of his affiliations include: Member of the Illinois Fire Chief 
Association; Past President of the WILCO Fire Chiefs Association; 
Member of the International Association of Arson Investigators; 
Chairperson of the ETSB; Member of the National Emergency Number 
Association; and Member of South Chicago Heights Y2K Readiness 
Committee.
  Fire Chief Angelo Petrarca's commitment and impact on his community 
is not only deserving of congressional recognition, but should serve as 
a model for others to follow.
  At a time when our nation's leaders are asking the people of this 
country to make serving their community a core value of citizenship, 
honoring Fire Chief Petrarca is both timely and appropriate.
  I urge this body to identify and recognize others in their 
congressional districts whose actions have so greatly benefitted and 
enlightened America's communities.

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