[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 155 (Wednesday, September 25, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1207]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     IN RECOGNITION OF THE LOCAL 781 CHAPTER OF THE INTERNATIONAL 
                      ASSOCIATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 25, 2019

  Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I proudly rise today to recognize and 
celebrate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Local 781 chapter of the 
International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF). For seventy-five 
years, Local 781 firefighters in Independence, Missouri, have proudly 
served and protected their community.
  Supporting one of the oldest municipalities in Jackson County, 
Missouri, the contributions of Local 781 are engrained in the complex 
history of the Independence Fire Department and steeped in tradition, 
dedication and bravery. In 1843, as the prospering village flourished, 
so did a growing need to protect what they had established, leading to 
the emergence of the Independence Fire Department.
  Consisting of volunteer fire fighters, the Independence Fire 
Department originally fought fires in the community with buckets as 
their only equipment, For 175 years, the Independence Fire Department 
has upheld this same tenacious, innovative spirit. It has evolved and 
grown to meet the everchanging needs of the community it serves, and 
today encompasses ten fire stations, over 150 personnel, an area of 
seventy-eight square miles, and an institution that boldly protects and 
serves the community.
  The men and women employed by the Independence Fire Department have 
been proudly and faithfully represented by the Local 781 chapter of the 
International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) since the formation 
of the local chapter in 1944, empowering them to maintain the same 
selfless sacrifice in the protection of countless lives.
  Moreover, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) 
represents more than 295,000 full-time professional firefighters and 
paramedics who protect eighty-five percent of the nation's population. 
This endeavor is assisted by the nearly 3,100 affiliates and their 
members in every state across the United States and Canada. The IAFF 
not only represents firefighters and paramedics but also includes state 
employees, federal workers, and fire and emergency medical personnel 
employed at certain industrial facilities.
  As leaders, advocates, and champions for its members, the 
International Association of Fire Fighters has played a pivotal role in 
every advance in fire and emergency services in the 20th century. From 
the introduction of shift schedules early in the last century to the 
enactment of SAFER in 2003, which helps bolster access to careers in 
essential emergency response, ensuring better work conditions for these 
responders, and providing established professional standards for fire 
service. The IAFF has consistently been there to fight for responders 
and improvements to public safety.
  Today, the International Association of Fire Fighters continues to 
spearhead policy that ensures the well-being of its members and places 
emphasis on their ability to safely execute their duties. The growth 
and success of this institution is reflective of its member-driven 
initiatives and commitment to be an organization for firefighters, by 
firefighters.
  Madam Speaker, please join me and all of Missouri's Fifth 
Congressional District in celebrating the seventy-fifth anniversary of 
Local 781 chapter of the International Association of Fire Fighters. 
Let us join in recognizing the bravery of its members, both past and 
present, who honorably serve the community of Independence, Missouri.

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