[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 63 (Monday, April 25, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S2415]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING JOHN E. ULMSCHNEIDER

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, today I recognize the tragic death of a 
Marylander. John E. Ulmschneider of the Prince George's Fire/EMS 
Department was killed in the line of duty on Friday, April 15, 2016.
  John Ulmschneider is survived by his wife and daughter. He was known 
to his friends and colleagues as ``Skillet,'' a nickname he received 
after sustaining an injury in high school. It was while he was 
attending Surrattsville High School in Clinton, MD, that John decided 
to dedicate his life to serving others as firefighter.
  Before graduating high school, John Ulmschneider worked on the farm 
of a family friend. It was on that farm that he met Dawn, and the two 
would later get married. A colleague fondly remembered him as ``a hard-
working country boy.'' He enjoyed helping people. Personally and 
professionally, he was selfless and generous. This altruism made him 
not only a good person, but an ideal public servant.
  John Ulmschneider worked out of the Landover Hills Fire/EMS Station 
830. He was a 13-year veteran of the Prince George's County Fire/EMS 
Department and was described as dedicated, humble, and funny. The 
Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department is composed of nearly 2,000 
volunteers, career professionals, and support personnel covering 
approximately 580 square miles and protecting almost 900,000 people. 
Marylanders should take solace in knowing that John was able to leave 
his mark on a department with such immense responsibilities.
  Maryland's first responders are some of the best in the country. 
Their dedication, bravery, and skill are worthy of the highest praise. 
John Ulmschneider had all of these traits in abundance.
  I thank the Ulmschneider family for sharing John with the people of 
Prince George's County. I also thank John's fellow first responders and 
staff at Med Star Southern Maryland Hospital Center in Clinton, MD, for 
doing their utmost to save John. His legacy will never be forgotten, 
and I join the people of Prince George's County in mourning his loss.

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