[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 126 (Wednesday, September 9, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H9376-H9379]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE FIRST RESPONDERS AND VICTIMS OF THE CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 724) honoring the first responders, paying tribute 
to the victims of the Southern California wildfires, and mourning the 
loss of the Firefighter Captain Tedmund ``Ted'' Hall, and Firefighter 
Specialist Arnaldo ``Arnie'' Quinones.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 724

       Whereas beginning in August 2009, California has 
     experienced a number of devastating wildfires which have 
     burned hundreds of thousands of acres of public and private 
     lands, destroyed and damaged structures and homes, and forced 
     the evacuation of thousands of homes and businesses;
       Whereas high temperatures and erratic winds caused the 
     multiple fires to rapidly progress to a point that the 
     Governor of California proclaimed a state of emergency in the 
     counties of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Santa Cruz, 
     Monterey, Placer, and Mariposa;
       Whereas loss of life and serious injuries have resulted 
     from the fires;
       Whereas beginning on August 26, 2009, the Station Fire, 
     ignited by arson, has burned more than 160,000 acres of 
     public lands and private property in Los Angeles County and 
     the Angeles National Forest, including over 200 structures 
     and homes;
       Whereas the Station Fire is one of the largest in modern 
     California history and the largest wildfire in the modern 
     history of Los Angeles County;
       Whereas as of September 9, 2009, the Station Fire continues 
     to threaten 7,000 structures in the Angeles National Forest 
     and nearby communities like Altadena, La Canada Flintridge, 
     Acton, Glendale, La Crescenta, Pasadena, Littlerock, Sunland, 
     Sierra Madre, and Tujunga;
       Whereas more than 8,000 fire personnel, 800 fire engines, 
     approximately 40 helicopters, 13 fixed-winged aircraft, and 
     88 water tenders have been deployed statewide to assist with 
     firefighting efforts;
       Whereas the extraordinary effort made by firefighters 
     throughout the region contributed to the preservation of the 
     historic Mount Wilson Observatory, a national landmark for 
     astronomical research;
       Whereas on August 30, 2009, the lives of two firefighters 
     with the County of Los Angeles Fire Department were lost 
     while battling the Station Fire: Fire Captain Tedmund ``Ted'' 
     Hall, 47, and Firefighter Specialist Arnaldo ``Arnie'' 
     Quinones, 34;
       Whereas Fire Captain Tedmund Hall, of San Bernardino 
     County, was a 26-year veteran of the fire service, and is 
     survived by his wife, two sons, and his parents;
       Whereas Firefighter Specialist Arnaldo Quinones, of 
     Palmdale, was an 8-year veteran of the fire service and soon-
     to-be father and is survived by his wife and his mother;
       Whereas more than 10 firefighters were injured as they put 
     their lives on the line to respond to wildfires in 
     California;
       Whereas it is clear that the continued commitment and 
     heroism exhibited by firefighters has saved countless lives, 
     homes, and businesses;
       Whereas additional emergency personnel, such as law 
     enforcement and medical personnel, have coordinated with 
     local authorities and firefighters and have performed beyond 
     the call of duty in the preservation and protection of human 
     lives; and
       Whereas hundreds of volunteers gave their time to help 
     ensure that evacuees are sheltered, clothed, fed, and 
     emotionally comforted through this traumatic event: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) offers its deepest sympathy to the families of those 
     servicemen who lost their lives fighting the Station Fire in 
     Southern California;
       (2) commends the thousands of firefighters and emergency 
     responders who continue to risk their lives fighting the 
     wildfires throughout California;
       (3) expresses condolences to the individuals and families 
     who lost their homes and other property in the wildfires;
       (4) extends its appreciation for the ongoing work to 
     protect the communities and businesses that continue to be 
     threatened by fire; and
       (5) condemns the acts of arson perpetrated in igniting the 
     Los Angeles County Station Fire.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Towns) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Bilbray) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.

[[Page H9377]]

                             General Leave

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 
5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TOWNS. I now recognize the gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff) 
for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SCHIFF. At the outset, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman 
for moving this resolution so expeditiously and in time for a memorial 
service that will be conducted at Dodger Stadium this Saturday. I rise 
today to speak in support of legislation I've introduced with my 
colleague, David Dreier, my neighbor in California, honoring the first 
responders to the recent California wildfires, paying tribute to all 
those who helped during this crisis, and mourning the loss of 
Firefighter Captain Tedmund ``Ted'' Hall and Firefighter Specialist 
Arnaldo ``Arnie'' Quinones who died while bravely fighting the Station 
fire. These courageous men made the ultimate sacrifice for their family 
and friends and greater community, deserve our recognition and have 
earned our undying gratitude.
  It is, I suppose, fitting, Mr. Speaker, that we take up this 
resolution following the September 11 resolution. When we think of 
September 11, in addition to the terrible tragedy and the loss of so 
many innocent lives, we think of the bravery of the emergency 
responders who, while others were rushing out of those collapsing 
building, they were rushing in.
  Similarly, in California, 3,000 miles away from the site of that 
terrible tragedy, we, once again see firefighters rushing in while 
others are rushing out. And none could exemplify this courage and this 
call to service more than Specialist Quinones and Captain Hall. Our 
thoughts today go out to the families of these brave men. And with this 
resolution we seek to honor their lives and also highlight the 
contributions of thousands of other personnel who helped fight these 
massive wild fires which have burned hundreds of thousands of acres of 
public and private lands, destroyed and damaged structures and homes 
and forced the evacuation of thousands of families.
  The weather conditions in California have been mixed. At times the 
weather has been still; the wind has been still. But that has caused 
smoke to accumulate and hampered emergency aircraft. At other times the 
winds have fanned the flames and started new fires. Low humidity has 
also, and high ambient temperatures have, contributed to the heat of 
the blaze, to the point where the Governor of California proclaimed a 
state of emergency in several counties in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, 
Santa Cruz, Placer, Monterey and Mariposa.
  The Station fire, ignited by arson, began on August 26 and burned 
more than 160,000 acres of public lands and private property in L.A. 
County and the Angeles National Forest where it continues to burn, 
including over 200 structures and homes. It is currently one of the 
largest fires in modern California history, and the largest wild fire 
in the history of Los Angeles County, as far as we can tell.
  The Station fire continues to threaten 7,000 structures in the 
national forest and nearby communities like Altadena, Acton, Glendale, 
La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Pasadena, Littlerock, Sunland, 
Sierra Madre, and Tujunga. More than 8,000 fire personnel, 800 fire 
engines and approximately 40 helicopters, 13 fixed-wing aircraft and 88 
water tenders have been deployed statewide to assist with firefighting 
efforts.
  The continuing commitment and heroism exhibited by fire fighters have 
saved countless lives, homes and businesses. We also recognize the 
additional emergency personnel such as law enforcement and medical 
personnel who have coordinated with local authorities and fire fighters 
and performed beyond the call of duty in the preservation and 
protection of human lives.
  We also recognize hundreds of volunteers who gave their time to help 
ensure that evacuees are sheltered, clothed, fed and comforted during 
this traumatic event. I can recall visiting some of the shelters in La 
Crescenta and La Canada, meeting with volunteers for the Red Cross. 
One, Kim Lardia, who's a Glendale police officer, worked a full day in 
uniform as a police officer, then came out in the evening to volunteer 
at the shelter to make sure that people had a place to sleep. It's 
people like this, bravely serving the community that are such an 
inspiration to us and give us confidence that we will finally get this 
fire put out.
  So I want to join with my colleague again, David Dreier. We had the 
chance to visit the command center and speak with the fire chief and 
the incident commander, see the incredible coordination of Federal, 
State and local resources, had the chance to see not only acres and 
acres of burned forest land, but also homes that had been destroyed and 
devastated.
  And we wanted to introduce this resolution today to acknowledge all 
the superb people who have come together to fight these fires and to 
pledge our commitment to make sure that the Federal Government 
continues to be a good partner. And once again, I urge support for this 
resolution.

                              {time}  1315

  Mr. BILBRAY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield as much time as he 
may consume to my colleague from California (Mr. Dreier), the coauthor 
of this resolution.
  (Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. DREIER. I thank my friend for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, let me begin by expressing appreciation to my friend, 
colleague and partner in dealing with this and with a wide range of 
issues that affect the Los Angeles area, Mr. Schiff.
  It is true that we are in the midst, Mr. Speaker, of what is the 
largest recorded fire in the history of Los Angeles County, and it has 
been a difficult time. It started in a little, tiny area above La 
Canada Flintridge. Immediately, we saw the wonderful local, county and 
State officials come together, as is so often the case, to deal with 
this tragedy. We also were able to see--and we continue to see at this 
moment, Mr. Speaker--one of the unique capabilities shown by 
California, because of the fact that we regularly deal with fire, that 
being the Unified Command.
  Under Captain Mike Dietrich, the incident commander, we have seen all 
of these firefighters--the 8,000, the number mentioned by my colleague 
Mr. Schiff--come from near and far to join together under this Unified 
Command to prosecute this fire, which, as of right now, has burned over 
160,000 acres.
  Now, to put this in context, the Angeles National Forest is made of 
650,000 acres, and it is the number one, most utilized national park in 
the United States of America. Why? Because of its proximity to the Los 
Angeles basin. In excess of 160,000 acres have burned at this point, 
and it's about 60 percent contained. It is hoped that full containment 
will take place around the 15th of this month, meaning sometime next 
week.
  So this is a problem with which we have dealt for a long period of 
time, and it is obviously one we will continue to face. We all know, 
Mr. Speaker, that fires are a national phenomenon, but when we see 
lives and property threatened, it is essential that we do everything 
that we can to put forward priority number one, and that is the 
protection first of life and then of property.
  As Mr. Schiff has said, we also know that we have tragically lost two 
courageous firefighters, and having just gone through the resolution 
dealing with September 11 and the loss of those firefighters, we are 
reminded again of the courage of these individuals.
  Just before getting onto the airplane at LAX yesterday, I had a 
lengthy conversation with Laurie Barrios, who is the sister of Captain 
Ted Hall. She talked about the sacrifice that their family has made.
  In fact, I should say, with Mr. Towns here, jokingly, she said, We're 
like a New York family.
  Her father had been a battalion chief. Her brothers and other 
relatives are firefighters in this California family. She quoted her 
brother, who said at a reunion that they had had just recently, I am 
not a hero. I am just an average guy, doing the job that I love.

[[Page H9378]]

  That, I believe, really is the vision and the goal that so many 
firefighters have. They're not selfish. They very much want to make 
sure that they can ensure the safety of people and property. The 
sacrifice. Mr. Schiff mentioned the Glendale officer who was in uniform 
at day and who volunteered at night. These people are so 
extraordinarily dedicated.
  So Captain Ted Hall was one of those tragically killed, working to 
save lives and property. Specialist Arnie Quinones is the other, and I 
know that he is a constituent of our colleague Mr. McKeon. Mr. Berman 
is here. I know that his area has been impacted, Mr. Sherman's as well, 
Mr. Lewis', Mr. Baca's. This has had an impact all over the southern 
California area; but the unique tragedy here in the case of Mr. 
Quinones is that his wife, Laurie, is expecting a child in 2 weeks. So, 
as we look at the two lives that have been lost, Specialist Quinones 
will have passed away before his child is born. It underscores the 
fragility of life and the importance of the work that these people have 
engaged in.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to also share a little bit more of the 
conversation that I had with Captain Hall's sister. She referred to 
their family as having been firefighters for--I guess now--generations, 
and she talked about their respect and reverence for the environment. 
She said that her father would always say, when they were out hiking, 
to put the pinecone back exactly where it was because that is God's 
gift to us. She had, as had every member of their family, a wonderful 
reverence for the environment.
  Mr. Speaker, there is no way that I can stand here and articulate the 
emotion that Captain Hall's sister, Laurie Barrios, shared with me when 
she insisted that we pursue a balanced policy when it deals with the 
preservation of our environment. She went so far as to say that there 
are, obviously, steps that could have been taken that would have 
diminished the magnitude of this fire. Again, I can't speak as strongly 
as she, but I do believe that it is absolutely essential that we pursue 
that very, very balanced approach in dealing with fires.
  With 160,000 acres burning, one of the challenges has been, as Mr. 
Schiff said, what has happened to the air quality in the area. Well, I 
think that controlled burns and taking steps to ensure that fires do 
not spread are essential. The great team in Los Angeles County, led by 
Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman, and others in the State of California, 
in the County of Los Angeles, and in these great cities that we're 
privileged to represent make it very, very clear that we want to take 
those preemptive steps to ensure that, while we'll always face fires in 
the future, we can diminish the level of damage that we have seen in 
the past 10 days in southern California.
  So, Mr. Speaker, we recognize most importantly the loss of two 
heroes, Captain Ted Hall and Specialist Arnie Quinones. We at the same 
time recognize the continued sacrifice that at this moment is going on 
in southern California to do everything that they possibly can to get 
this fire under control. In the names of Arnie Quinones and Ted Hall, I 
hope very much that we will do everything that we can to ensure that 
all levels of government and individuals take steps to make sure that 
we don't have the kind of tragedy through which we're going at this 
moment.
  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BILBRAY. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to close by saying I 
thank everyone for the cooperative effort here. Sadly, recently, we've 
talked a lot about heroes, and too often we mix up heroes and victims. 
I think we've got to remind ourselves that, when we talk about Ted Hall 
and Arnie Quinones, we're talking about true heroes. Victims are 
individuals who are at the wrong place at the wrong time and who have 
paid the ultimate price. Heroes are individuals who willfully put 
themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time and who pay the 
ultimate price. There is a huge difference between a hero and a victim.
  Today, with this resolution, we're not only recognizing the men and 
women who are out fighting the fires today, but we're recognizing the 
heroes--all of the individuals who are fighting fires and who are 
addressing this issue--in the persons of Messrs. Hall and Quinones, the 
heroes who chose to serve their community and to put themselves in 
harm's way as a service. With this resolution, we do them honor and 
respect, not only to the two individuals but to everyone who chooses to 
put themselves in harm's way to protect others.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to associate myself with 
the remarks made by the gentleman from California by saying that, yes, 
they are truly real heroes. There is no question about it.
  Again, I would like to urge my colleagues to join me in paying 
tribute to the first responders who are fighting the California 
wildfires. I will tell you that that has been something that I have 
watched. Seeing people coming together around an issue is something for 
which we should all pause and say thank you.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer deep condolences to 
the victims of the recent California wildfires and the residents who 
have lost their homes and businesses; and to pay tribute to the brave 
firefighters and first responders still standing in harm's way.
  The wildfires broke out in the last week of August. Since then, more 
than 160,000 acres have burned. More than 160 structures--houses and 
businesses--have been destroyed; nearly 4,000 more remain in harm's 
way.
  At this stage, thousands of residents and families have been affected 
by the flames--forced into shelters; displaced; facing the horrifying 
prospect of a home burned to the ground or a workplace caught in the 
blaze.
  The prayers of every Member of Congress go out to every resident 
impacted by the fires.
  As the Nation has watched the rapid spread of the wildfires, no one 
deserves greater praise or gratitude than our firefighters on the front 
lines.
  These dedicated men and women stay through the night to get the job 
done. Their bravery is unparalleled, their heroism unmatched. Their 
efforts are the front line of defense against the fires, and their 
sacrifice is saving lives.
  Two of these firefighters paid the ultimate price for the safety of 
LA County's residents.
  Captain Tedmund ``Ted'' Hall and Specialist Arnaldo ``Arnie'' 
Quinones represent our nation's best values: service and sacrifice, an 
obligation to help others and a responsibility to protect your 
community.
  To ensure our firefighters have the resources they need to beat back 
the flames, Congress provided nearly $490 million in extra funding this 
year, boosting the federal government's commitment to helping the 
people standing in the line of fire each year.
  Congress will continue to watch closely the developments and spread 
of the wildfires across the State of California, and we will remain 
steadfast in our support for state and county emergency agencies in 
their efforts to protect local residents and rebuild in the days ahead.
  In the words of this resolution, the Congress ``condemns the acts of 
arson perpetrated in igniting the Los Angeles County Station Fire,'' 
and we extend our appreciation to the volunteers, law enforcement and 
medical personnel for helping evacuees, sheltering the displaced, and 
treating injuries in recent weeks.
  Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to both send my deepest 
condolences to the families of the two brave firefighters lost in the 
``Station Fire,'' which directly impacted my district, and to thank the 
thousands of fire and rescue personnel who have fought the largest 
blaze in Los Angeles County history.
  The tragic loss of Fire Captain Tedmund ``Ted'' Hall, 47, of San 
Bernardino County, and Firefighter Specialist Arnaldo ``Arnie'' 
Quinones, 35, of Palmdale, has hit our communities very hard. These 
brave men paid the ultimate price to protect lives and property of 
individuals they had never met before. This kind of heroism serves as a 
constant reminder of what it means to ``sacrifice.'' Each man and woman 
who dons a fireman's uniform does so knowing that there is always the 
possibility that they may not make it home to see their families. But 
in the face of this adversity, they still serve.
  Firefighter Specialist Quinones was a constituent of mine. He lived 
in Palmdale, California, with his wife Loressa. They are expecting 
their first child in the next few weeks. My heart goes out to his 
family. I know his spirit will live on and endure forever within their 
family.
  Fire Captain Ted Hall was a resident of Hesperia, California. He 
graduated from the Fire Academy in 1983 and served ever since. He was 
survived by his wife Katherine, and sons Randall, 21, and Steven, 20. 
My deepest condolences go out to his family as well.
  I was on the ground the past couple of weeks and witnessed, first 
hand, the bravery

[[Page H9379]]

of the firefighters and rescue personnel during this fire. As I speak, 
firefighters have contained 61 percent of a fire that has, thus far, 
scorched 160,357 acres in the Angeles National forest. Firefighters 
have greatly limited the loss of property because of their valiant 
efforts to beat back the flames. The hot, dry conditions of southern 
California, coupled with swift winds make fighting these fires 
treacherous. Add in the geographic landscape that the firefighters must 
deal with and you can begin to understand the risk that every 
firefighter takes.
  For all of the work that I have witnessed and for all that none of us 
has seen, I thank you. Thank you for putting your lives in danger to 
protect those you don't know. Thank you for giving us all that comfort, 
knowing that you are there to help us in our time of need. And thank 
you to the families that must endure sleepless nights, wondering 
whether they will see their loved ones walk through the door one more 
time.
  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 724, a 
resolution that honors the first responders who are courageously 
fighting the California wildfires and that pays tribute to the victims 
who lost their lives.
  Hundreds of firefighters throughout the country have been working 
tirelessly in this effort, risking their lives to put out wildfires so 
that the lives of others can be protected. Included in this group of 
brave responders are 20 firefighters from the National Park Service in 
Hawaii, including William Akima, Jordan Barthold, Tessa Chieves, Andrew 
Christie, Christopher Derman, Raymond Eselu, Michael Ferguson, Brandon 
Figueroa, Sean Grossman, William Konanui, Elias Kuamoo, Michael Kyser, 
Paul Keliihoomalu, Jon Makaike, Nicholas Martin, Sky Mullins, Arnold 
Nakata, Dexter Pacheco, Jr., Russell Rosario, and Lowe Thomas, who have 
put themselves in harm's way to battle the raging wildfires. We are 
proud of your commitment and grateful for your service. We also pay 
tribute to the two firefighters who died, Captain Tedmund Hall and 
Specialist Arnaldo Quinones, and hope that the eleven people who have 
been injured make a full and speedy recovery.
  I urge my colleagues to honor those who have served by voting for H. 
Res. 724.
  Mr. TOWNS. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Towns) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 724.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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