[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 125 (Friday, September 29, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10750-S10751]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 596--DESIGNATING TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2006, AS 
 ``NATIONAL FIREFIGHTER APPRECIATION DAY'' TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE THE 
                   FIREFIGHTERS OF THE UNITED STATES

  Mr. INHOFE (for himself, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Pryor, Mr. Santorum, Mr. 
Kerry, and Mr. Menendez) submitted the following resolution; which was:

                               S. Res 596

       Whereas there are more than 1,100,000 firefighters in the 
     United States;
       Whereas approximately 75 percent of all firefighters in the 
     United States are volunteers who receive little or no 
     compensation for their heroic work;
       Whereas there are more than 30,000 fire departments in the 
     United States;
       Whereas thousands of firefighters have died in the line of 
     duty since the date that Benjamin Franklin founded the first 
     volunteer fire department in 1735;
       Whereas 346 firefighters and emergency personnel died while 
     responding to the terrorist attacks that occurred on 
     September 11, 2001;
       Whereas firefighters respond to more than 20,000,000 calls 
     during a typical year;
       Whereas firefighters also provide emergency medical 
     services, hazardous materials response, special rescue 
     response, terrorism response, and life safety education;
       Whereas, in 1922, President Harding declared the week of 
     October 9 to be ``Fire Prevention Week''; and
       Whereas the second Tuesday in October is an appropriate day 
     for the establishment of a ``National Firefighter 
     Appreciation Day'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate designates Tuesday, October 10, 
     2006, as ``National Firefighter Appreciation Day'' to honor 
     and celebrate the firefighters of the United States.

  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, every year in the United States, over one 
million firefighters working with approximately thirty thousand fire 
departments risk their lives to protect our Nation. Nearly seventy-five 
percent of those firefighters are volunteers; they put their lives on 
the line and get almost nothing in return. Volunteer and paid 
firefighters alike are often forgotten until tragedy strikes and they 
valiantly come to the rescue. I think that it is regrettable that many 
of us fail to recognize the sacrifice these brave men and women make 
every day.
  Therefore, today I submit a resolution to establish the first annual 
National Firefighter Appreciation Day on October 10, 2006.
  National Firefighter Appreciation Day will be a day for all Americans 
to take time to appreciate the firefighters in their communities. 
National Firefighter Appreciation Day will fall on the second Tuesday 
in October, during Fire Prevention Week, which has been held over the 
week of October ninth since 1922. I seek to have this day annually 
celebrated on the second Tuesday in October for many years to come.
  Firefighters are often the first responders at the scene of a 
disaster. Their rigorous training and determination equip them to put 
out fires, provide first aid, and stabilize volatile situations. In 
their long shifts at the fire station, these strong men and women are 
prepared for disaster, large or small.
  Firefighters also provide life safety education, installing fire 
alarms and distributing information on fire prevention, working to 
prevent disasters before they occur. One notable time that firefighters 
and fire marshals engage with the community is when they educate 
children about ways to prevent fires during Fire Prevention Week. Now, 
these children will have a reminder on National Firefighter 
Appreciation Day to stop and thank the firefighters who protect them 
when the blazes get out of control.
  In my State of Oklahoma we know the pain of dealing with loss from a 
terrorist attack and the importance of firefighters in the aftermath. 
In 1995, when Timothy McVeigh bombed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal 
Building in Oklahoma City, 168 people lost their lives. Firefighters 
and everyday citizens bravely responded to this horrendous act. They 
accomplished the task of bringing out all victims from the building 
without loss of life or significant injury to the firefighters and 
rescue personnel. According to Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum, 
seventy-five fire departments across Oklahoma participated in the 
rescue recovery for fifteen days and fifteen hours. In addition, seven 
states were represented with the FEMA emergency personnel that aided in 
recovery. Sadly, ten of the firefighters that came to help were from 
New York City and later died honorably in the September 11th attacks. 
The entire world watched while every available resource of the city, 
state, and federal government was mobilized to respond to the attack at 
the Murrah building.
  Most of us are aware of firefighters' efforts in such major 
disasters. However, we often do not hear about their seemingly smaller 
acts of heroism. For example, two years ago firefighters in Oklahoma 
City dove into an ice covered lake to save an eight-year-old boy who 
had fallen through the ice. The boy had been treading water and holding 
onto the ice on the edge of the pond for 15 minutes before he was saved 
by the firefighters. Had he not been rescued by those men, this young 
boy would have probably died.
  In a similar incident a few years before, firefighters responded to a 
sighting of two young brothers swept downstream in the waterway in 
Oklahoma City. The rescuers had to take into account a number of 
factors, including a very rapid current and the physical condition of 
the boys, to rescue them from the water. Everyday, firefighters protect 
the public and save lives.
  Probably the most notable firefighter response of our time occurred 
in New York City after the September 11th terrorist attacks. In the 
midst of a tragic situation, New York City firefighters rushed into the 
World Trade Center buildings to rescue those left inside. When the 
buildings collapsed,

[[Page S10751]]

they worked day and night to search for people in the rubble. In the 
end, 346 firefighters and emergency personnel lost their lives.
  The heroism and bravery shown by the firefighters and rescue workers 
in the immediate aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks led 
Connor Gehraty, the son of a New York City firefighter who perished in 
the rescue efforts after September 11th, to circulate via e-mail the 
idea of establishing a day to honor firefighters.
  Connor has noted that there is substantial remembrance of events such 
as the Oklahoma City bombing and 9-11. Connor emphasizes that 
firefighters deserve their own distinct day to be honored for the full 
panoply of their service. I agree.
  Connor has worked diligently for five years to try to accomplish his 
goal. My office was able to get in touch with him using Facebook, a 
networking website, and inform him of the plans to make his idea a 
reality with this resolution. He is very supportive of this 
legislation.
  The Oklahoma State Firefighters Association was also helpful with 
suggestions in the drafting of this legislation. The Oklahoma State 
Firefighters Association (OSFA) has 14,000 members consisting of paid 
(union and non-union), volunteer, and retired firefighters. In addition 
to providing support, services, and events for firefighters in 
Oklahoma, the OSFA oversees the Oklahoma Firefighters Museum and the 
Oklahoma Fallen and Living Firefighters Memorial. I am pleased with the 
dedication of this organization and the positive role it plays in the 
lives of Oklahoma's firefighters. I appreciate their suggestions and 
support of this resolution.
  The OSFA is one of many organizations of firefighters in Oklahoma and 
around the country that impress me. Just last week, a group of fire 
marshals came all the way up from Oklahoma to visit my DC office. That 
visit spurred me to move forward with this resolution.
  I pledge to ensure that as we celebrate the first annual National 
Firefighter Appreciation Day and many more in years to come, the 
hardworking and courageous individuals that make up groups such as 
these will be honored in a distinct way that is long overdue.
  In light of the heroism and inspirational example of firefighters, 
please join me in naming the second Tuesday of October National 
Firefighter Appreciation Day.

                          ____________________