[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21718]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              TRIBUTE TO MR. RICHARD G. ``ANDY'' ANDERSON

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN T. DOOLITTLE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 28, 2006

  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, today I wish to recognize and honor an 
outstanding citizen and public servant who will celebrate his 50th 
Anniversary as Fire Chief of the Quincy Volunteer Fire Department on 
November 11, 2006. I join with the local community of Quincy and the 
residents of Plumas County in congratulating Mr. Richard G. ``Andy'' 
Anderson for his remarkable service.
  Andy Anderson was born and raised on a farm in Southern Illinois. In 
addition to attending school and performing farming chores, Andy also 
worked at the local mortuary. When World War II commenced in 1941, he 
pleaded with his father to allow him to serve in the United States 
military. When his father finally granted permission in 1942, Andy 
enrolled in the United States Navy and served aboard the USS Cullman 
for the duration of the conflict and received an honorable discharge 
for his contributions.
  After the war, Andy attended mortician school in San Francisco and 
completed his apprenticeship in the Bay Area. He then took a position 
in Red Bluff, California, before purchasing mortuaries in Portola and 
Quincy, California. In 1956, Andy moved to Quincy to manage his 
businesses and was elected fire chief of the local department in 
November of that same year.
  During his service as chief, Andy made the Quincy Volunteer Fire 
Department into a model organization. He has stressed the importance of 
interagency cooperation and created the Plumas County Fire Chiefs 
Association which included the fire chiefs from throughout rural Plumas 
County. Andy served as the chairman of this organization for 25 years. 
Presently, the organization has expanded to include all Plumas County 
emergency service providers. In addition to this valuable contribution, 
Andy participated in or created several other county and statewide 
organizations dedicated to emergency services and disaster 
preparedness. To this day, he serves as the Director of the Plumas 
County Office of Emergency Services and as Plumas County Fire Warden.
  Andy is also an accomplished pilot and has an active interest in 
radio broadcasting, railroading, and county fairs. He has poured his 
efforts into these worthy causes as well as numerous other local 
volunteer and civic organizations. Andy has great pride in his two 
grandsons, Will and Richard, and has been married to his wife Gayle for 
over 42 years. He affectionately refers to Gayle as ``the real Chief.''
  Mr. Speaker, my district encompasses a large area of rural 
California, and I am happy to say that these communities are kept 
strong by people like Andy Anderson who make sacrifices in order to 
serve their fellow citizens. Andy is deserving of our recognition 
because of his five decades of public fire and emergency service, his 
military service to our country, and his love of family. I appreciate 
the opportunity to honor him today.

                          ____________________