[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 149 (Thursday, September 14, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H4304-H4305]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   REMEMBERING RONALD NURNBERGER, SR.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. D'Esposito) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. D'ESPOSITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, just days after the 22nd 
anniversary of September 11, 2001, to recognize and remember former 
chief, Ronald Nurnberger, Sr.
  He was a member of the Island Park Fire Department, the same 
department that I serve, for over 40 years. He joined the department in 
1977 and served as chief of department from 2001 to 2002.
  Just hours after the attacks on our great Nation on September 11, 
Chief Ronald Nurnberger led a delegation from the Island Park Fire 
Department to Ground Zero, where he served and

[[Page H4305]]

dug on that pile looking for survivors in the days that followed the 
attack.
  Less than a year ago, he was diagnosed with 9/11-related cancer, and 
just hours before September 11, 2023, Ex-Chief Nurnberger passed away 
from cancer he developed from operating on the pile on September 11.
  He is another example as to why Members of this body and our 
colleagues on the other side of the Capitol must continue to fight for 
funding. There is no reason why 22 years later we still have survivors 
walking the Halls of Congress each and every year asking for money to 
support the issues that they are facing with health.
  Ex-Chief Nurnberger leaves behind a loving wife, Sherrill; his 
children, who are also now part of the fire service, Ronald Jr., 
Brandon, Karlton, Collin, Stephen, and John-Paul; and, of course, 
grandchildren, Jameson, Lucas, Cody, Blakely, Brooke, and Noah.
  Ex-Chief Nurnberger served the Island Park Fire Department and the 
village of Island Park for over 40 years, and I was lucky enough to 
call him a friend for the last 26 years.
  Again, I rise today to remember and reflect upon a life gone too 
soon, another victim of the attacks on this great Nation on September 
11, 2001. Ex-chief Nurnberger has answered his final alarm, and I pray 
that he rests easy.

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