[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 2166]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE RETIREMENT OF SUFFOLK COUNTY COMMISSIONER OF FIRE, RESCUE 
               AND EMERGENCY SERVICES ON JANUARY 8, 2005

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. STEVE ISRAEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 10, 2005

  Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Suffolk County 
Commissioner of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services David H. Fischler. 
Suffolk County has been the beneficiary of Commissioner Fischler's 
remarkable skill, his dedication to public service and his tremendous 
leadership all displayed over a distinguished 28-year career devoted to 
the people of Suffolk County. On January 8, 2005, Commissioner Fischler 
retired completing a final ten-year tenure as Commissioner. His service 
will not soon be forgotten; his shoes will not soon be filled; but his 
legacy of excellence and service will forever last within the Suffolk 
Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services community.
  Commissioner Fischler began his fire service career as a volunteer 
firefighter with the St. James (NY) Fire Department, where he later 
served as an Assistant Chief and Chief-of-Department for 8 years. While 
still serving the St. James Fire Department in a volunteer capacity, 
Commissioner Fischler began his leadership in the Suffolk County, a 
county with 1.4 million residents and approximately 12,500 providers in 
136 fire and EMS agencies. Commissioner Fischler first served as the 
county's Emergency Manager before he began his tenure as Commissioner.
  Commissioner Fischler has commanded major incidents, including 
hurricanes and coastal storms that destroyed 104 homes in 48 hours, the 
1995 Wildfires, the 1996 TWA incident, and the county's response in 
2001 to the World Trade Center in support of our neighbors in New York 
City. His skill as a leader, manager and emergency services expert 
invariably saved lives, property and hardship for the people of our 
community in each of these instances. Most importantly, he ensured 
professional, timely, organized response in the event of each 
challenging disaster.
  Commissioner Fischler is also a vice-president of the NYS Emergency 
Management Association, a member of the International Association of 
Fire Chiefs Terrorism/Homeland Security Committee and has spoken 
extensively throughout the country. Furthermore, the Commissioner is an 
attorney and is heavily involved in community activities.
  During Commissioner Fischler's distinguished tenure, Suffolk County 
became the first county in New York State to develop and implement a 
Hurricane/Coastal Storm Plan and Special Needs Sheltering Program. 
Additionally, it is believed that Suffolk County became the first 
municipality in the nation to develop a Mental Health Special Needs 
Sheltering Program. Finally, Commissioner Fischler's leadership 
prompted Suffolk County to be the first county in New York State and 
the greater northeast to be designated ``Storm Ready'' by the National 
Weather Service.
  Commissioner Fischler has served Suffolk County with the highest 
degree of professionalism and excellence. I wish to extend a sincere 
thank you to Commissioner Fischler for his many years of remarkable 
public service to the people of Suffolk County, for the legacy of 
excellence he leaves behind for our fire, rescue and emergency services 
and for his highly capable, selfless and steady leadership during our 
most trying and dangerous times over the past ten years.

                          ____________________