[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 24166]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 IN HONOR OF FIRE CHIEF KERRY SHERIDAN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JERRY WELLER

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 27, 2005

  Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Fire Chief Kerry 
Sheridan of the Troy Fire Protection District in Shorewood, Illinois. 
On Saturday, Sheridan will celebrate 45 years of service as the Fire 
Chief with the local volunteer fire protection district:
  Since first being elected in 1960 to the Fire Chief position, 
Sheridan has seen major changes from not only the size and scope of the 
fire protection district, but also advances in technology and 
equipment. In 1960, his equipment consisted of a used 1929 REO 
Speedwagon and a dispatch that was a phone call to the Chief to sound 
the siren. Now, the department consists of multiple engines, an 
enhanced 911 dispatch center and the protection district has grown to 
over 18,000 residents compared to the 800 residents in 1960.
  Within Sheridan's impressive 45 years of services, the Chief has 
provided a classroom in the Joliet Junior College to teach fire 
services, started one of the first cadet programs in Illinois and 
organized an Ambulance service that recruits and trains new EMT's every 
year. Chief Sheridan is still actively serving on the Joliet Junior 
College Fire Science Advisory Board which he has served on since 1974 
and is very involved with the local government.
  The most impressive part of his service as a volunteer for the fire 
department is that he achieved all of these great accomplishments while 
being a full time employee with Illinois Bell Telephone and now AT&T.
  With 45 years of dedication to his township and the safety of its 
residents, Kerry Sheridan provides an example to all of what they can 
do to better their community. When we hear young children having 
aspirations of becoming firemen when they grow up, we should all point 
to the example Kerry Sheridan has set.

                          ____________________