[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 108 (Wednesday, July 6, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S4820]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE YORK FIRE DEPARTMENT IN YORK, MAINE

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the 100th 
anniversary of the founding of the York Fire Department in the town of 
York, ME. It is an honor to congratulate the dedicated firefighters, 
past and present, for their skill and courage in protecting their 
community.
  The York Fire Department was established in the aftermath of a 
disastrous fire at a seaside resort hotel on January 26, 1916. At that 
time, the only fire protection in the town was headquartered at York 
Beach, some 3 miles away. Although the York Beach firefighters 
responded valiantly, the distance, winter conditions, and inadequate 
equipment prevented them from saving the large wooden structure.
  A town with two distinct and distant residential and commercial 
districts clearly needed two fire departments, so immediately after the 
resort fire, the York Village and Corner Ever-Ready Volunteer Fire 
Company was organized, with Bert Newick as the first chief. Enthusiasm 
for this new endeavor was so high that one writer observed that ``it 
seemed as though three-quarters of the town's eligible young men were 
becoming volunteer firefighters.''
  Enthusiasm remains just as high today. York Fire Department 
firefighters are true volunteers, receiving no compensation for their 
rigorous training and dangerous duties. In addition to advanced 
training in firefighting and hazardous materials response, the majority 
of York's volunteers have EMT or paramedic certification. The 
department has only three paid positions to ensure that the fire 
station is staffed around the clock.
  The people of York are grateful for these efforts and have supported 
funding for many improvements to equipment and facilities through the 
years. Individual citizens have stepped forward to provide such vital 
equipment as the department's first two-way radios in 1954 and its 
first fire/rescue boat in 2004.
  A special project of the York Fire Department Auxiliary, the Southern 
Maine Advanced Rehab Team, consists of people who want to help out but 
are unable to serve as firefighters. Their SMART truck provides 
drinking water, coffee, food, communications, and portable radio 
battery charging at fire scenes, as well as misting fans to cool the 
firefighters. These volunteers are invaluable at any fire scene and 
often respond to fires in neighboring towns.
  Firefighters from throughout Maine will join in the centennial 
observance this September when the Maine State Federation of 
Firefighters holds its 53rd annual convention in York. The convention 
will coincide with the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and will 
commemorate all firefighters who have lost their lives while saving the 
lives of others. Among those memorialized will be Lt. Wayne Fuller who 
was killed while responding to a fire in 1974, the only York 
firefighter to fall in the line of duty.
  America's firefighters play a vital role in the security of our 
Nation and the safety of our people. Whether it is in response to a 
terrorist attack, a natural disaster, or a fire, Americans rely on our 
firefighters, and our firefighters always answer the call. The 
firefighters of York, ME, are a shining example of that commitment, and 
I join the people of their town in saluting them for a century of 
service.

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