[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 27 (Friday, February 18, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E267]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


     HONORING P. MICHAEL FREEMAN, FIRE CHIEF OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GRACE F. NAPOLITANO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 17, 2011

  Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, we rise today to honor P. Michael 
Freeman, our good friend and long time Fire Chief of Los Angeles 
County. Chief Freeman is retiring after 22 years of service as the Fire 
Chief and 47 years as a firefighter. His commitment to the Los Angeles 
community, dedication to his employees, and strong leadership of the 
department will be greatly missed.
  Chief Freeman was born and raised in Los Angeles County. He moved to 
Dallas and had a 25-year career with the Dallas Fire Department 
eventually rising to the rank of Acting Fire Chief. During that time, 
he served our nation honorably in the Army Reserve. It was in 1989 that 
the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors made the wise decision to 
bring Chief Freeman home and make him the eighth Fire Chief of Los 
Angeles County.
  Chief Freeman has been one of the most respected and longest serving 
public servants in the history of Los Angeles County. He has 
steadfastly faced the many challenges that come with running a fire 
department in a county of 10.5 million people, 4,000 square miles, 88 
cities, 70 miles of coastline, dense urban areas, towering mountain 
ranges and deep forests. He has effectively led the fire department 
through the annual wildfire seasons, overseeing and containing some of 
the worst wildfires in the history of California in 2003 and 2009. He 
coordinated the response with other government agencies to the 
Northridge earthquake and the many other earthquakes that have rocked 
Los Angeles over the years. He has expertly overseen the daily 
operations of the department in responding to the multitude of 
emergencies that arise in an urban environment.
  Chief Freeman has improved the department's emergency response 
capabilities and has been a strong advocate for the department with the 
federal government. He has worked with Members of Congress to ensure 
the first responder community has access to the federal resources they 
need for fire prevention programs, emergency response equipment, and 
natural disaster preparedness training. He has organized and led the 
effort to implement a new Los Angeles Regional Interoperable 
Communications System (LA-RICS). This system will allow first 
responders throughout the county to communicate effectively on 
solutions to emergencies ranging from major disasters to day-to-day 
events.
  Chief Freeman has volunteered in numerous roles with the federal 
government to lend his expertise to improving emergency response 
services across the nation. He served as chairman of the board of 
FIRESCOPE and as a member of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's 
National Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Advisory Committee. In 2003, he 
was selected by Secretary Tom Ridge to serve as a member of the U.S. 
Department of Homeland Security's emergency responder advisory 
committee. He also served as chairman of the International Association 
of Fire Chiefs Terrorism Task Force.
  As the economy has weakened and the County has faced major budget 
challenges, Chief Freeman has done an outstanding job of maintaining 
the proper staffing, professional service and quick response times that 
our residents have come to expect. He has managed the many facets of 
the department well, from emergency medical services to hazardous 
materials response to the lifeguarding of our many beaches. He has 
strengthened the department's cooperation and coordination with 
regional, state and federal emergency response partners. Additionally, 
Chief Freeman has continuously worked to improve the diversity of the 
department by hiring more female and minority firefighters.
  Chief Freeman implemented many important life safety response 
programs that are integral to the department's operations today. These 
include Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), the Canine Search Program, a 
24-hour Health Hazardous Materials Division, and the Firehawk 
Helicopter Program.
  Mr. Speaker, as Members of the Los Angeles County delegation, we 
would like to personally acknowledge and commend P. Michael Freeman for 
his dedication to the people of Los Angeles. He is a model of the 
brave, honorable and selfless public servant that is displayed every 
day by the men and women of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. We 
are privileged to have worked with Chief Freeman. We ask the House to 
join us in congratulating Chief Freeman on his many years of service 
and wish him much success in his future endeavors.
  Members who signed: Grace F. Napolitano, Karen Bass, Howard L. 
Berman, Jane Harman, Howard P. McKeon, Laura Richardson, Lucille 
Roybal-Allard, Adam B. Schiff, Maxine Waters, David Dreier, Xavier 
Becerra, Judy Chu, Kevin McCarthy, Gary G. Miller, Dana Rohrabacher, 
Linda T. Sanchez, Brad Sherman, Henry A. Waxman.

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