[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17826]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        RECOGNIZING ARLINGTON COUNTY FIRE CHIEF EDWARD PLAUGHER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 8, 2004

  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate 
Chief Edward Plaugher who has recently been named Career Fire Chief of 
the Year for 2004 by Fire Chief magazine. Chief Plaugher retired as 
Chief of the Arlington County Fire Department in June and was 
instrumental in the response at the Pentagon on September 11th.
  In recognition of his service in Virginia Fire Departments over the 
last three decades, the Virginia State Fire Chiefs Association 
nominated Chief Plaugher for this prestigious award. For 24 years he 
served with the Fairfax County Fire Department, and in 1993 was named 
Chief of the Arlington County Fire Department. Throughout his tenure he 
has been known as a leader throughout the firefighting community. 
Because of his leadership his fire department was aware and prepared 
for the threat that terrorism could pose to Arlington County, Virginia, 
and the United States.
  This awareness first began in 1995 after the sarin gas attacks in the 
Tokyo subway system. Chief Plaugher recognized that something similar 
could happen in Arlington County and the metropolitan area and began 
preparing his department and the region for this possibility. One of 
his top accomplishments was the creation of the first locally staffed 
terrorism response team in the United States.
  It was through this foresight that the Arlington County Fire 
Department was able to so effectively deal with the terrorist attack on 
the Pentagon. Chief Plaugher and his firefighters were commended for 
their quick and organized response to the tragedy. Without the 
leadership of Chief Plaugher and the dedication of the men and women of 
the Arlington County Fire Department and other Northern Virginia fire 
departments more lives would have been lost on that tragic day.
  I would like to thank Chief Plaugher for his distinguished service to 
Arlington and Fairfax Counties. His leadership and vision have helped 
create some of the premier fire departments in the nation. He is highly 
deserving of this honor. I wish Chief Plaugher and his family the best 
as he begins his much deserved retirement.

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