[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 119 (Monday, July 28, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1248]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      HONORING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OAKDALE FIRE DEPARTMENT

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 28, 2014

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the firefighters and 
residents of Oakdale, Minnesota on the occasion of the 50th anniversary 
of the Oakdale Fire Department.
  The department was started in 1964 in the garage of local resident 
Mr. Dean Arnt in what was then the undeveloped community of Northdale. 
Beginning with a volunteer staff of twelve people, an old Jeep, and an 
early 1950s model Ford fire truck, what the department lacked in 
physical resources, it made up in generosity and hard work. Thirteen 
local residents used their own money to send letters to residents 
getting the word out about the creation of the department and to ask 
for donations to build a fire station. A small station was finally 
built by the volunteer firefighters in 1967, and the department 
responded to 24 calls during its first year.
  The area served by the Oakdale Fire Department has doubled in size 
since 1964 and the department has expanded with it. Now operating out 
of two, much larger fire stations, the department employs 40 paid-per-
call and eight full-time firefighters. Many of the staff are trained as 
emergency medical technicians or paramedics who provide support 24 
hours. The department now responds to more than 2,000 medical, fire, 
and rescue calls per year.
  Despite its impressive growth, the Oakdale Fire Department still 
retains its commitment to the community and stands as an example of the 
very best in public services funded by tax-payers. Mr. Speaker, the 
valuable efforts of the Oakdale Fire Department during the past five 
decades are commendable and worthy of recognition. In honor of many 
people who have built the success of the Oakdale Fire Department, it is 
a privilege to submit this statement in honor of its 50th anniversary.

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