[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 24, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E206]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  TRIBUTE TO TOM O'KEEFE FOR 30 YEARS OF PROTECTING CALIFORNIANS FROM 
                               WILDFIRES

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JERRY LEWIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 24, 2004

  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I want to pay tribute today to 
a dedicated public servant who for the past 30 years has devoted his 
life to protecting southern Californians from the danger of wildfires. 
I can say sincerely that many of my constituents owe their lives and 
homes to the hard work and leadership of Thomas O'Keefe, who is 
retiring as chief of the San Bernardino Unit of the California 
Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
  Tom O'Keefe began his career in public service in 1968 as a member of 
the United States Coast Guard, where he served aboard the Ice breaker 
Storis in Alaska.
  After his 4 years in the Coast Guard, chief O'Keefe began his work 
for CDF on October 1, 1974 as a Fire Control Assistant in the Orange 
Ranger Unit. In 3 years, he was promoted to a Fire Apparatus Engineer 
and was assigned to the El Cerrito Forest Fire Station (FFS) in the 
Riverside Ranger Unit. He moved up to Fire Captain in August of 1981 
and was assigned to Indian Wells and later to a Training Fire Captain 
position in the Riverside Ranger Unit Headquarters.
  In April of 1986, Tom O'Keefe became Battalion Chief in the Riverside 
Training Section and three years later was made a field Battalion Chief 
in San Jacinto. Moving up quickly in the ranks, he was named a Division 
Chief in 1989, in charge of the Staff Services Division and later 
headed the Emergency Services Division for Riverside County. In October 
1996, he was promoted to Deputy Chief of the Riverside Ranger Unit and 
was finally named Chief of the San Bernardino Ranger Unit in July 1999.
  Mr. Speaker, the California Department of Forestry and Fire 
Protection is our statewide firefighting agency, and Chief O'Keefe has 
played an active role in many historic events, ranging from the Los 
Angeles riots to the Northridge earthquake. The agency is also charged 
with forestry management and fire prevention, and I am most grateful 
for Chief O'Keefe's efforts to deal with the terrible tree dieoff in 
the San Bernardino mountains.
  On October 21, 2003 wildfires erupted throughout southern California. 
These fires were some of the most costly and devastating wildfires in 
the State's history. Two of these fires were located in San Bernardino 
County, and the Old Fire in my district destroyed more than 1,000 
homes. Chief O'Keefe led the CDF in playing a central role as 
firefighters evacuated tens of thousands of residents, saved thousands 
of structures and protected and held the fire back from destroying the 
entire forest. Chief O'Keefe had already been selected to receive the 
Director's Leadership Award, but the recognition was especially 
deserved in light of his leadership and professionalism in the fires of 
2003.
  Thanks greatly to the efforts of Chief O'Keefe and the CDF, most of 
our mountain residents were able to return home after the fires. They 
have expressed their gratitude in many ways, and I thank him personally 
as we wish him well on his retirement.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in saluting 
this public servant, and sending him and his wife Nancy our best 
wishes.

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