[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 2172]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO MELINDA OHLER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 29, 2003

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise today 
to pay tribute to Melinda ``Mindy'' Ohler, a brave woman and true 
trailblazer of the San Francisco Fire Department. Mindy's passing, 
which occurred while responding to a fire alarm at San Francisco 
International Airport, unfortunately marked the first death of a female 
San Francisco firefighter in the line of duty.
   When Mindy joined the San Francisco Fire Department in 1989, she was 
one of the first women to become a firefighter in the department's 
history. In the 13 years since her enlistment, the number of women 
firefighters in San Francisco has risen to an impressive 235 (12 
percent of the force). This increase is in no small part due to Mindy, 
whose hard work and total dedication to her duties changed the minds of 
many who had originally opposed the idea of women firefighters. Her 
inspirational power was ably summed up by one of her colleagues at her 
memorial service who said, ``Frankly, I was against women joining the 
department, but her willingness to do the job showed me women had a 
place here.''
   John Hanley, President of Fire Fighters Local 798, expressed praise 
for Mindy and characterized her performance as a firefighter as bold 
and versatile; she was able to handle the challenges she faced with 
courage, he said, whether it was a small fire or five-alarm 
conflagration. In addition, Mindy's lighter side--she was a noted 
prankster--was credited with lifting spirits around the firehouse.
   A tireless worker who once held down six jobs at one time, Mindy, 
46, was still working two other jobs in addition to her primary one as 
a firefighter at the time of her death.
   In the spirit of solidarity with Mindy, over 3,000 people from 
around the country--including many fellow firefighters and law-
enforcement officers--came to St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco to 
pay tribute to Mindy.
   In addition, Mr. Speaker, I am proud to announce that Mindy's name 
and contributions will be honored forever. Her name will join the names 
of other men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while on duty as 
firefighters at the National Fallen Firefighters' Memorial's Roll of 
Honor. The memorial, located in Emmitsburg, Md., was designated by 
Congress as the official, national memorial to fallen firefighters, and 
it will be further sanctified by the addition of Mindy's name.
   Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing and 
mourning the loss of Melinda Ohler for her sacrifice and contributions 
to the people of San Francisco. She will be sorely missed on the 
Peninsula, in her birthplace of Valparaiso, Ind., and in the hearts of 
many across this nation who had the privilege of knowing her. To know 
her was to admire her; her legacy will be one of compassion, 
selflessness, and a commitment to being all she could be.

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