[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 146 (Wednesday, December 3, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1727]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




ON THE OCCASION OF THE ONE-HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HAMTRAMCK FIRE 
                               DEPARTMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. GARY C. PETERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 3, 2014

  Mr. PETERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
first responders of the Hamtramck Fire Department (HFD) as the 
community celebrates the department's centennial anniversary. This 
historic milestone in HFD's history is a testament to the thirty-one 
brave men of the department and their predecessors, who have made the 
safety of their community their livelihood.
  First responders are a critical part of communities across our 
nation--dedicated individuals who are putting themselves in harm's way 
to ensure the safety of our communities. For the HFD, the roots of this 
deep commitment to its community extend all the way back to 1857, 
before Hamtramck was even incorporated as a village. It was then that 
the Hamtramck Spouters first organized and formed the Spouters Company 
Number Eleven. Forged with a mission of protecting the citizens of 
Hamtramck and their property, it formally became the Hamtramck Fire 
Department in 1914, and has diligently dedicated itself to fulfilling 
its mission.
  Like all first responders, the HFD provides support and protection to 
the residents of its community in their moments of greatest need. This 
support and protection includes: responding to fire emergencies, 
preventing fires, mitigating hazardous situations, investigating fire 
emergencies for potential arson and providing emergency medical 
services--in 2011, the HFD responded to over 3,000 emergencies.
  As the HFD has grown, it has continued to obtain and incorporate new 
technology, equipment and training, to strengthen its ability to 
protect the community. All of these resources, along with those of 
neighboring fire departments in Detroit and Highland Park, were put to 
the test on August 6, 1984, when the HFD responded to a five-alarm 
industrial fire. The HFD and the other responding departments were 
instrumental in containing this fire and preventing its spread to 
neighboring residences and properties. It serves as a poignant example 
of the important role of first responders in protecting the safety of 
our communities.
  For the firefighters of the HFD, their commitment and dedication to 
their community are principles which motivate their actions, both in 
their first responders' duties and in the other endeavors they lead to 
strengthen Hamtramck. These efforts include: raising funds to support 
breast cancer research, leading community clean-up days and providing 
the support necessary for Hamtramck to hold Independence Day 
festivities for its residents.
  Mr. Speaker, our first responders deserve our admiration, our respect 
and our unending gratitude for the incredible responsibility they 
shoulder on a daily basis. They provide the security and protection 
that help bind our communities together, both in their official duties 
and their volunteer endeavors, which are often focused on supporting 
the members of our communities that are most in-need. It is my honor to 
congratulate and thank Fire Chief Paul Wilk, the firefighters of the 
Hamtramck Fire Department and their families who support them, for the 
incredible impact they have made and continue to make on their 
community. The centennial of the HFD is a significant milestone in its 
history and I wish all of its firefighters and their families continued 
success and safety in their endeavor to protect the residents of 
Hamtramck.

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