[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 9 (Thursday, February 7, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E115]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 ON BEHALF OF THE UNIFORMED FIRE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK CITY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 7, 2002

  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a statement 
from the Uniformed Fire Officers Association of New York. Captain Peter 
L. Gorman, President of the UFOA, asked that I present this UFOA 
statement to Congress in memory of the fallen firefighters of New York 
City and on behalf of the UFOA leadership: Vice-President John E. 
Ginty, Lt.; Treasurer Arthur J. Parrinello, DC; Recording Secretary 
Stephen J. Carbone, Lt.; Financial Secretary James J. McGowen, Lt.; 
Sergeant-At-Arms Michael C. Currid, Capt.; Captain's Representative 
John J. McDonnell, Capt.; and Chief's Representatives Nicholas J. 
Visconi, DC and Richard Goldstein, BC. I am proud to present the 
following UFOA statement, entitled, It Will Get Worse Before It Gets 
Better:

       The Uniformed Fire Officers Association represents 2,500 
     lieutenants, captains, battalion chiefs, deputy chiefs, 
     supervising fire marshals and medical officers of the New 
     York City Fire Department.
       The UFOA wishes to thank the Governor and the State 
     Legislation {of New York] for all you have done, almost every 
     time we asked, for our members and their families, especially 
     the widows and children of firefighters killed in the line of 
     duty.
       But now we believe state government has a new and even 
     greater responsibility to the public interest, the 8 million 
     people who live in New York City and the millions of 
     commenters and visitors that the FDNY protects every minutes 
     of every day. The Fire Department has been badly crippled to 
     the attack on the world Trade Center, and it will get worse 
     before it gets better. Now an entire city needs your help.
       The Fire Department lost 343 members on September 11, 2001. 
     Of that number, 254 were members and 89 were superior 
     officers--45 lieutenants, 20 captains, 17 battalion chiefs, 3 
     deputy chiefs, 2 staff chiefs, the Chief of the Department, 
     and the First Deputy Commissioner. If that wasn't terrible 
     enough, our Catholic Chaplain was carried to a nearby church 
     and laid to rest at the altar.
       It is important that you know what we at the UFOA now know. 
     Many veterans fire officers, more than ever before, are 
     saying they will leave soon, mainly because they feel a 
     heightened obligation to the families.
       This year we will be asking you to go beyond anything we've 
     asked the State Legislature and the Governor to do before. We 
     will be asking you to save the New York City Fire Department; 
     to make a commitment to the restoration of a crippled 
     emergency service that may soon lose two and even three times 
     as many veterans fire officers as we lost on September 11.
       This struggle isn't just for the fire Department of New 
     York City. It is for every one of the 8 million people who 
     live in our city, and the millions of commuters and visitors 
     we protect every day.
       Again, our thanks go to everyone in the State Capitol for 
     all you have done for the FDNY and its firefighters over the 
     year. But no, than every, we need each other. Things are 
     going to get worse for the Fire Department before they get 
     better, and unless you help, things will get worse than that.





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