[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 100 (Wednesday, July 18, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1351]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    A SALUTE TO PAT AND BILL BENNETT

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. TOM UDALL

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 18, 2001

  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
a special husband-and-wife team from my home state of New Mexico. Pat 
and Bill Bennett of Placitas have spent the past decade strengthening 
and enhancing the Placitas Volunteer Fire Brigade. To recognize their 
dedicated service and commitment, this past Sunday the Brigade was 
renamed in their honor.
  Volunteer firefighters provide one of the most valuable services 
imaginable to this country and its people--that of saving lives and 
safeguarding our precious lands. Firefighters preserve the integrity of 
the safety in the communities they serve. Every year, volunteer 
firefighters are injured, and even die, in the service of their 
esteemed duty. Volunteer firefighting is one of the hardest jobs 
imaginable, and it is frequently rewarded only by the knowledge that 
the service it provides is vital to its community.
  In this unique case, Bill and Pat both made enormous contributions to 
the Placitas Volunteer Fire Brigade. Bill, who began as a volunteer 
firefighter and was later named Chief of the department, helped 
establish the standards the department uses to fight structural and 
wildland fires. Although he retired from the department last year, Bill 
is still active the in planning and training of new firefighters.
  Pat, a registered nurse and an emergency-medical technician, is 
currently the brigade's medical Captain, and was a major contributor to 
the development of the department's medical procedures and standards. 
It is also important to note that in 1999, the New Mexico Injury 
Prevention and EMS Bureau named Pat the state's Emergency Medical 
Technician-Basic of the Year.
  Mr. Speaker, it is often said that nothing is bigger than the heart 
of a volunteer. I think that is especially true for Pat and Bill and 
all the volunteer firefighters in New Mexico and across the country. 
For all their courage, their strength, their selflessness, and their 
dedication, I salute each and every one of them.

                          ____________________