[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 41 (Thursday, March 8, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E280]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN RECOGNITION OF JAMES JAY DELANEY, RECIPIENT OF THE 2018 GREATER 
                 PITTSTON FRIENDLY SONS' SWINGLE AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MATT CARTWRIGHT

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 8, 2018

  Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize James Jay 
Delaney, who will receive the W. Francis Swingle Award from the Greater 
Pittston Friendly Sons of St. Patrick. Jay will be honored formally 
during the Friendly Sons' 104th annual celebration on March 17, 2018. 
He has been part of the Wilkes-Barre Fire Department since 1981 and has 
served as the city's fire chief for the past 13 years.
  Chief Delaney is a longtime resident of Avoca, Pennsylvania and a 
graduate of St. John the Evangelist High School. He attended Luzerne 
County Community College to study Fire Science Technology. He has 
completed advanced course work at the National Fire Academy in 
Emmitsburg, Maryland and at the Center for Domestic Preparedness in 
Anniston, Alabama. He is also a certified paramedic.
  In addition to his role as chief, Delaney serves as Wilkes-Barre's 
Emergency Management Coordinator. Under Chief Delaney's leadership, the 
Wilkes-Barre Fire Department's ISO Public Protection Classification was 
elevated to Class 2, which put Wilkes-Barre in the top 1 percent of 
fire departments in Pennsylvania. He has been responsible for securing 
a substantial amount of federal support and has made multiple upgrades 
to the city's emergency response operations and equipment.
  Chief Delaney has earned appointments by Governor Ed Rendell to the 
Pennsylvania Game Commission Board of Commissioners and by Governor Tom 
Wolf to the Governor's Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing, and 
Conservation.
  He resides in the Miners Mills section of Wilkes-Barre with his wife, 
the former Valerie Sakaduski. They have three children, Sarah, Jamie 
and Megan and seven grandchildren.
  It is an honor to recognize Chief Delaney as he accepts the W. 
Francis Swingle Award. I am grateful to him for having spent his entire 
career in service to the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania. His 37 
years as a firefighter is an outstanding contribution to the community. 
I wish him all the best this St. Patrick's Day.

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