[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 19617-19618]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           IN MEMORY OF FORT WORTH FIRE CHIEF CHARLES GAINES

  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to speak out of 
order for 5 minutes to address the House.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Dent). Without objection, the gentleman 
from Texas is recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to honor the life and the 
memory of Fort Worth Fire Chief Charles Gaines. Chief Gaines passed 
away this past Saturday evening rather suddenly of natural causes. 
Chief Gaines was 49 years of age.

[[Page 19618]]

  Mr. Speaker, our paths crossed several times during Chief Gaines' 4-
year tenure as fire chief and my 4 years in Congress. The commitment 
and dedication that the chief showed to his profession was evident from 
the moment we met. Under his leadership, Chief Gaines was accountable 
for the oversight of 745 firefighters that composed the Fort Worth Fire 
Department. As fire chief, he also oversaw the department's response to 
over 57,000 incidents annually in the city of Fort Worth.
  Before serving as the fire chief of Fort Worth, Chief Gaines served 
in the United States Air Force as a fire protection specialist. He 
worked on crash and rescue teams at various Air Force bases until his 
promotion to Air Force assistant chief. After receiving an honorable 
discharge from the Air Force in 1980, he continued his career as a 
member of the Oklahoma City Fire Department in 1981.
  During the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma 
City, he served as the fire department's operations safety officer. His 
service and leadership during this national tragedy ensured that the 
first responders and government workers were informed and received all 
medical attention.
  Fire Chief Gaines was known throughout the department as a man of 
integrity. While negotiating with the firefighters' union early in his 
Fort Worth career, his calm, collective demeanor earned him the respect 
of the department and his co-workers. He was able to compromise with 
the union and resolve differences between the two sides.
  He had a detail-oriented approach to problems, and this meant that 
problems within his department, those issues were addressed the first 
time around. Chief Gaines earned his Master's Degree in Business 
Administration from Oklahoma City University, and he incorporated 
efficient management techniques throughout the Forth Worth Fire 
Department. This management style allowed him to incorporate and 
encourage innovation and alternative thinking.
  Chief Gaines was able to initiate solutions that would more 
effectively safeguard the citizens of Fort Worth, while saving tax 
dollars in the process. Chief Gaines was the first African American 
fire chief in the city of Fort Worth. The city has a 113-year history 
of that department. Chief Gaines brought a new wave of energy to the 
Forth Worth Fire Department. His policy of requiring a minimum of four 
firefighters to each fire truck helped Fort Worth become one of the top 
10 safest cities in America.
  His leadership, professionalism and dedication will not be soon 
forgotten in the city of Fort Worth or Oklahoma City. His devotion to 
his career and his fellow officers was absolute, and his service to the 
Fort Worth community will be deeply missed.
  Godspeed, Chief Gaines. We will see you at the top.

                          ____________________