[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 158 (Tuesday, October 1, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1236]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE SPRING FIRE DEPARTMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DAN CRENSHAW

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 1, 2019

  Mr. CRENSHAW. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the brave men and 
women of the Spring Fire Department, a public safety agency that has 
come a long way in its 66-year history, but never so much as in the 
past decade.
  For the first few decades, local residents and businesses passed the 
hat, and volunteers manned the donated and frequently pre-owned, 
equipment.
  As Spring has evolved from a rural railroad stop into a Houston 
suburb, the fire department has grown alongside the community. In 1997, 
Spring Fire began employing professional firefighters to supplement 
their volunteers during the daytime hours.
  Meeting the expectations of a rapidly growing population is a 
challenge they meet every day. Six of Spring's nine fire stations were 
built this decade. Station 74 is the last of the new stations to open 
for service.
  Every day, the men and women of the Spring Fire Department provide 
fire suppression, emergency medical response, and more to over 152,000 
people in 62 square miles of northern Harris County.
  From a fire department where volunteers heard the siren and rushed to 
a station to pick up a fire engine, Spring has evolved into a 
combination department that staffs all its nine stations 24 hours a 
day, seven days a week. Today, the department has a mix of full-time, 
part-time and volunteer firefighters to answer the calls. With a fleet 
of over two dozen pieces of fire and rescue apparatus, along with more 
than a dozen support vehicles, Spring firefighters respond to fires, 
medical emergencies, vehicle accidents, and highwater rescues.
  Built to withstand strong hurricane-force winds, the new Station 74 
is already home to an engine and a tanker. Designed with the future in 
mind, Station 74 will be able to house more fire equipment, an 
additional crew, and a District Chief in the years to come.
  The new Spring Fire Station 74 is a testament to the commitment of 
the department, their command staff, and the board of Harris County 
Emergency Services District Number 7 to serve Spring today and in the 
future.
  It is my honor to be part of the Spring Fire Station 74 Grand Opening 
Celebration on October 5. May God bless these crews putting their lives 
on the line for this community every day, and may God continue to bless 
Texas and the United States of America.

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