[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 12 (Wednesday, February 4, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E118]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING THE RETIREMENT OF FIRE CHIEF MICHAEL P. BIRRELL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN D. DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 4, 2004

  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my friend 
Michael P. Birrell on the occasion of his retirement from the Dearborn 
Fire Department after 29 dignified years of service.
  Serving as the Chief of the Department since March 2000, Mr. Birrell 
has shown tremendous dedication and leadership throughout his long-
lasting career. He joined the Department on December 9, 1975 as a 
probationary firefighter. Promoted to Firefighter 2 in 1980 and 
Firefighter 3, an engine driver, in 1985, Mr. Birrell's achievements 
resulted in him becoming Fire Lieutenant in 1990, Captain in 1994, and 
Battalion Chief in 1995.
  In addition to serving in the Fire Department, Mr. Birrell finds many 
ways to channel his supportive energy into the community. He is a 
Certified Instructor of the Michigan Firefighter Training Council and a 
National Fire Academy Instructor of Incident Command and Emergency 
Response to Terrorism.
  Mr. Birrell graduated from Saint Alphonsus High School in 1968 and 
attended Henry Ford Community College and Eastern Michigan University. 
A veteran of the U.S. Army from March of 1970 to January of 1972, Mr. 
Birrell served with the Military Police and was honorably discharged as 
Specialist 4.
  Mr. Birrell and his wife, Elaine, have one daughter, Kathleen, who is 
a senior at Edsel Ford High School. His stepson, Stuart Debrowsky, is 
also a Dearborn Firefighter.
  As Mr. Birrell enters his retirement years, I would like to give him 
my best wishes for a relaxing and enjoyable future. I would like to 
thank him for all of his hard work and commitment to the Dearborn Fire 
Department and Dearborn community.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask that my colleagues join me in 
commending Chief Birrell for leadership in both his Department and 
community, as we celebrate his 29 years of dedication to the Dearborn 
Fire Department.

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