[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 176 (Wednesday, November 19, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2260]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING SANTA BARBARA COUNTY FIRE CHIEF JOHN SCHERREI

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. LOIS CAPPS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 19, 2008

  Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, today I rise to acknowledge Mr. John 
Scherrei, Fire Chief of Santa Barbara County, upon reaching his 
retirement after 38 years of fighting fires.
  Fire Chief Scherrei was appointed as the Santa Barbara County Fire 
Department Chief in 1999. He previously had a 28-year career with the 
City of Los Angeles Fire Department where he held all ranks from 
firefighter to Assistant Chief and was often the highest ranking fire 
official on duty for the Los Angeles area.
  During Fire Chief Scherrei's time with Santa Barbara County, the Fire 
Department has added paramedics on its engine companies; created and 
integrated two brush clearing crews to the department; acquired the 
County's first high-rise tower ladder truck to its firefighting 
equipment inventory and has successfully deployed two firefighting and 
rescue helicopters.
  Fire Chief Scherrei also oversaw the merger of the Solvang and Orcutt 
fire departments into the County Fire Department and guided the Fire 
Department through both recent wild land forest fires: the 2007 Zaca 
Fire--at about 240,000 acres the largest fire in the County's known 
history--and the 9,400-acre Gap Fire that occurred earlier this year. 
In both major tires, no lives were lost and no homes were destroyed. 
Most recently, Fire Chief Scherrei helped supervise efforts related to 
the 2,000-acre Tea fire, which damaged or destroyed 219 residences.
  Over the last decade, Fire Chief Scherrei has worked with concerned 
citizens to form the Firefighter Alliance, which helps the department 
acquire urgent, unbudgeted tools and equipment and he has helped 
establish a firefighter Benevolent Association which is a charity to 
assist the fire family with personal loss, and family tragedy 
situations.
  Fire Chief Scherrei was also instrumental in creating the County's 
first memorial event at the historic Courthouse Gardens regarding the 
September 11th terrorist attacks and also the 75th anniversary event 
commemorating the founding of the County Fire Department.
   He has a master's degree in public administration from Cal Lutheran 
University and a bachelor's degree in sociology from California State 
University, Northridge. Fire Chief Scherrei also proudly served in the 
U.S. Marine Corps and is a Vietnam Veteran.
  Madam Speaker, Chief Scherrei will retire from the County of Santa 
Barbara on January 23, 2009. To his wife, Piper; his four children; his 
11 grandchildren; and to everyone whose lives have been enriched by 
him, Chief Scherrei is a man of courage, vigor, and guidance.
  Throughout his tenure as Fire Chief, Mr. Scherrei has advanced the 
state of fire and all-hazard emergency response in the County. As a 
result, our residents, businesses and visitors have benefited from his 
leadership and duty to serve. Therefore, I ask my colleagues to join me 
in congratulating Mr. John Scherrei for his 38 years as Fire Chief and 
honor his admirable service to the community and our country.

                          ____________________