[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 9, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H1090]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RECOGNIZING THORNTON FIRE DEPARTMENT

  (Mr. PERLMUTTER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the 
Thornton Fire Department in Thornton, Colorado, for earning the 2021 
Congressional Fire Services Institute's Masimo Excellence in Fire 
Service-Based EMS Award, which is given annually to the top fire 
department in the country.
  Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Thornton Fire Department has 
gone above and beyond to serve their community. As part of their 
efforts, they created a Pandemic Response Team that has conducted over 
20,000 COVID tests for public employees, senior citizens, first 
responders, and other community members. When vaccines became 
available, the Pandemic Response Team expanded their services to 
administer over 80,000 vaccinations at drive-through sites for city 
employees and other community members.
  The Pandemic Response Team's success led other fire agencies around 
the country to look to Thornton as a model for how to effectively 
respond to the challenges of COVID-19.
  In a very difficult year for fire and emergency services, the 
Thornton Fire Department's innovative approach to a rapidly changing 
public health crisis is something we should all thank them for and 
model.

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