[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 187 (Wednesday, November 28, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1569]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN RECOGNITION OF THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY MEMORIAL SERVICE HONORING THE 
   LIVES OF KCFD FIREFIGHTERS WHO SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES IN THE 1988 
                               EXPLOSION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 28, 2018

  Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise today to recognize the 30th 
anniversary memorial service honoring six Kansas City firefighters who 
tragically lost their lives serving the community.
  On November 29, 1988, just before 4:00 in the morning, the Kansas 
City Fire Department (KCFD) responded to a call at a construction site 
in the south end of the city. What started as a routine emergency 
response rapidly turned into tragedy and destruction. The fire 
escalated to a massive explosion, ultimately killing six firefighters. 
Fire Captain Gerald Halloran, Fire Captain James Kilventon, fireman 
Thomas Fry, fireman Luther Hurd, fireman Robert McKarnin, and fireman 
Michael Oldham gave their lives in service to the community. While 
their legacy of courage, heroism, and dedication to the public is 
forever preserved, what remains is the absence of six men who were 
loved by many.
  As Mayor pro tempore at the time, I remember arriving to a scene of 
grief and heartache. I can still recall the overwhelming wave of sorrow 
and despair that overcame me as I looked down from the helicopter at 
the devastation. It is a morning that I will never forget.
  For a century and a half, the Kansas City Fire Department has served 
the people of Kansas City, guided by the mission ``to protect and serve 
the community with commitment and dedication to excellence.'' The 
profound legacies that Gerald Halloran, James Kilventon, Thomas Fry, 
Luther Hurd, Robert McKarnin, and Michael Oldham leave behind embody 
the department's mission to serve the community today. This tragic 
event changed the firefighting profession, prompting new advancements 
in safety protocols that protect first responders today.
  Thirty years later, on the anniversary of the 1988 explosion, the 
community will come together to reflect and honor these six men who 
gave their lives doing what they loved, what they wholeheartedly 
believed was their mission in life--to serve and protect the people of 
our city.
  As I stand here today to honor these six men and reflect on the 
solemn event which took their lives, I also want to acknowledge the 
brave women and men in our community who fight fires. In 2015, a three-
alarm fire in the heart of Kansas City's Northeast neighborhood took 
the lives of two firemen, Larry Leggio and John Mesh. And like the 1988 
explosion, the Kansas City community rallied and unified to seek 
justice for the firefighters that dedicated their lives to saving those 
in danger.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me and all of Missouri's Fifth Congressional 
District in remembering and honoring the lives of the six firefighters 
who selflessly dedicated themselves to public service. The legacy they 
leave behind is a perpetual reminder of the sacrifices of the Kansas 
City Fire Department and firefighters across the nation. Let us join 
together in recognizing these six men who nobly served their 
communities and their families.

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