[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 76 (Thursday, May 8, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E880]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO JOHN SCHWARTZ

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                        HON. MARILYN N. MUSGRAVE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 8, 2008

  Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
heroism and self sacrifice of firefighter John Schwartz, 38, who died 
in the line of duty on Tuesday, April 15, 2008, while driving to the 
scene of a brush fire threatening a nearby community.
  When John heard the distress call Tuesday afternoon from nearby 
Ordway, Colorado, he jumped in his fire engine with Fire Chief Terry 
DeVore to try to help. A massive wild fire was burning across the 
prairie and the smoke was so thick that John and Terry could not see 
the bridge burned out in front of them. Terry's father Bruce, a fire 
department volunteer, was right behind them when he noticed their tail 
lights disappear. Bruce and the other firefighters stopped and tried to 
fight the inferno in front of them, but it was a hopeless fight.
  John and Terry were good friends and worked together at the Arkansas 
Valley Correctional Facility and John had recently joined Olney 
Springs' volunteer fire department. John's father told a newspaper that 
John joined the department because he liked the idea of doing something 
for the community. John attended Centennial High School in Pueblo, 
Colorado, and served in the U.S. Air Force for 4 years before returning 
to the Fowler area. John raised horses, cattle, and goats on a small 
ranch and he loved to hunt and shoot with his sons, ages 4 to 15, John, 
Wyatt, Wesley, and Cody.
  John left behind his four boys, as well as his parents John and Toni 
Schwartz.
  Madam Speaker, I am honored to represent John and other men and women 
who sacrifice so much to care for their communities. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in mourning the loss of a great American and in 
expressing heartfelt gratitude and sincere appreciation for the service 
of John Schwartz.

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