[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Page 25655]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 25655]]

              COMMENDATION FOR JARED HOHN AND THE HOTSHOTS

 Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today to commend the 
Sawtooth Hotshots for their valiant efforts in fighting the recent 
forest fires that raged through the Black Hills of South Dakota and 
other western states. The Hotshots are U.S. Forest Service fire crews 
that specialize in putting out large forest fires. The work is tough, 
demanding and invaluable. The Hotshot crew is dedicated, spending 
countless hours training for situations like those faced this summer. 
Once the fires occur, they often literally work around the clock to 
save the forests.
  Nowhere is this spirit more exemplified than by Jared Hohn, a 21-year 
old college student from Hill City, South Dakota. For the last four 
summers, Jared has worked as a member of the Hotshot crew, fighting 
fires all over the country to help put himself through college at the 
University of South Dakota. As a member of the crew, he often works 16 
hour days and, in one instance, worked for 42 hours straight fighting 
desert fires.
  The work is dangerous and many lives have been lost. But the 80 hours 
of training that the crew receives at the start of each summer greatly 
helps to minimize the danger that they face. The training teaches 
proper firefighter techniques and understanding of the forces that 
affect fires, like weather patterns.
  The dedication to public service and to saving lives is reflected in 
Jared and the entire Hotshot crew. Jared and the Hotshots are a hard-
working group who literally lay their lives on the line to improve the 
world around us and to protect us from fires. We owe a great deal to 
them and to the Forest Service for preforming such a valuable public 
service.

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