[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 112 (Friday, July 25, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1641]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING SAM HALPERT AND JOHN DEEGAN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. PETER DEUTSCH

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 25, 2003

  Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr Speaker, I rise today with great pleasure to honor 
Mr. Sam Halpert and Mr. John Deegan of Pembroke Pines, FL, 
distinguished civil servants, contemporary American heroes, and great 
Floridians.
  Now more than ever, our nation needs strong leaders--leaders who can 
be relied upon to protect the public from a growing number of natural 
disasters, the spread of terrorism, and crime in our city streets. Mr. 
Halpert and Mr. Deegan exemplify the types of heroes that describe a 
quarter century of service to local communities and to our country. 
Through hard work and effort, they have protected the South Florida 
community and its citizens for over a combined total of 50 years. Mr. 
Halpert, who began his career fighting fires as a volunteer in the 
1970s, has most recently served as the city's fire marshal. Mr. Deegan 
began his service to South Floridians as a paramedic, and now he is to 
be commended upon his retirement as the division chief in charge of 
emergency medical services.
   Although Halpert and Deegan pursued different paths, they remained 
bound by their shared commitment to community welfare. Since 1978, 
Pembroke Pines has experienced tremendous growth from about 14,000 to 
160,000 residents. Surely, with this immense growth in population comes 
the enormous responsibility of protecting its citizens. Instead of 
viewing this growth as an obstacle, Halpert and Deegan saw providing 
care and services to all Pembroke Pines' residents as a challenge, and 
they ensured the utmost quality in fire protection and emergency 
medical services.
  Upon their retirement, I am pleased to take this opportunity to 
celebrate their amazing service to Broward County. Clearly, dedicated 
citizens such as these individuals serve as an example to us all, 
highlighting the extent to which fellow citizens are actually everyday 
heroes. Though the Pembroke Pines Fire Department and EMS will surely 
miss their commitment and service, each man has left an indelible 
impression on their respective institutions that will last a lifetime.
  Mr. Speaker, it is truly a special occasion for me to honor Mr. 
Halpert and Mr. Deegan, who have embodied community leadership and 
strength as upstanding Floridians for over 25 years.

                          ____________________