[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 20689]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           IN MEMORY OF FORT WORTH FIRE CHIEF CHARLES GAINES

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KAY GRANGER

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 28, 2006

  Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of the most 
dedicated public servants of District 12 and the Fort Worth community 
that I represent, Fort Worth Fire Chief Charles Gaines. On September 
23, 2006, Fire Chief Gaines died at his home at the age of 49. Through 
hard work and commitment in his chosen profession, Chief Gaines was 
known nationally as an outstanding fire chief.
  While Chief Gaines' tenure in Fort Worth was a short four years, his 
impact on the community, on the men and women of the Fort Worth Fire 
Department and on his Fort Worth friends was enormous. Chief Gaines 
undertook with vigor the task of implementing a 4-man company staffing 
plan for the Fort Worth Fire Department to ensure that citizens enjoyed 
the best fire protection possible, while also undertaking a review of 
the Fire Department to abolish inefficient practices.
  Chief Gaines was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and graduated from 
Oklahoma City Northwest Classen High School before enlisting in the 
U.S. Air Force in 1975 where he entered the Air Force fire protection 
services as a crash rescue firefighter. He was stationed at various Air 
Force bases and rose to the rank of assistant fire chief when he was 
honorably discharged in 1980. Chief Gaines joined the Oklahoma City 
Fire Department and became a firefighter in 1981 where he continued as 
a frontline firefighter and supervisor until 1985 when he became a fire 
services instructor. Beginning in 1990, Chief Gaines served the 
Oklahoma City community in various capacities as deputy chief, 
including deputy chief for personnel, training and safety operations. 
When the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building occurred in 
1995, Chief Gaines was one of the first rescuers to reach the scene and 
served as the operations safety officer during the first 36 hours after 
the bombing, providing critical leadership that ensured the safety of 
firefighters and others who had rushed to the rescue of the victims of 
the bombing.
  Chief Gaines was named Fort Worth fire chief in 2002 in a nationwide 
search and had the distinction of being the city's first African 
American fire chief. His fellow firefighters say his analytical 
ability, dedication to safety and determination made him ``a consummate 
professional.'' Nothing signifies his dedication and hard work more 
than his personal development efforts. While serving as a full time 
firefighter, Chief Gaines earned a Southern Nazarene University 
Bachelor of Science degree, an Oklahoma City University Masters of 
Business Administration degree and graduated from the National Fire 
Academy's Executive Officers Program.
  At the same time, Chief Gaines was fiercely dedicated to his family 
and friends, always there with a bright smile and wit.
  Chief Gaines' outstanding professional abilities have indeed made 
Fort Worth a better place in which to live and work. It is with 
humility that I honor Fort Worth Fire Chief Charles Gaines as a great 
American who used his skills and talents wisely. Chief Gaines will be 
missed but not forgotten.

                          ____________________