[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 23836-23837]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         REMEMBERING THE SACRIFICE OF FIVE FEDERAL FIREFIGHTERS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JERRY LEWIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, December 8, 2006

  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to memorialize the 
heroism and devotion to duty of five U.S. Forest Service firefighters, 
who gave their lives in the line of duty protecting families and homes 
from the ravages of a ferocious wildfire that overwhelmed their truck.
  The 41st Congressional District includes a series of rugged mountain 
ranges with thousands of acres of national forest, but also thousands 
of homes and families. They include some of the most beautiful scenery 
in Southern California, but they are also home to some of the most 
dangerous wind-driven wildfires during our annual season of Santa Ana 
Winds.
  I have come to know and deeply respect the firefighters who protect 
these homes and fight these fires. They are among the most professional 
and resourceful in the nation. Their heroism and tenacity have made the 
mountains a safer place to live.
  So it is with the deepest sorrow that I ask my colleagues to join me 
in mourning the loss of five of these brave federal firefighters during 
the Esperanza Fire in the mountains east of San Bernardino. Those who 
gave their lives in the line of duty were Engine Captain Mark 
Loutzenhiser, Fire Engine Operator Jess McLean, Assistant Fire Engine 
Operator Jason McKay, Firefighter Daniel Hoover-Najera, and Firefighter 
Pablo Cerda.
  Mark Loutzenhiser, a father of three, was a vital member of his 
hometown of Idyllwild, California. He coached youth sports and was 
considered a friend by nearly everyone in town. He had 21 years of 
firefighting service and was a certified emergency management 
technician. He had previously worked as a hotshot crewman for the Vista 
Grande Hot Shots and also as a volunteer firefighter for Riverside 
County. He is survived by his children and his wife Maria Loutzenhiser, 
a Forest Service employee who joined Mark on the firelines until the 
birth of their children.
  Jess McLean had seven years of firefighting service and had been a 
hotshot for three years with the Vista Grande Hot Shots. He was a 
hometown hero--graduating from from Banning High School in 1997 and 
attending fire science classes at Crafton Hills College. He was a 
resident of Beaumont, CA. He is survived by his wife Karen McLean and 
his mother Cecelia McLean.
  Jason McKay spent four years as a volunteer firefighter in the High 
Desert town of Adelanto before joining the Forest Service five years 
ago. He also served on the Mojave Greens Type II crew. He was a 
certified EMT and earned an associate's degree in fire science. He was 
a resident of Phelan, also in

[[Page 23837]]

the High Desert. He is survived by his mother Bonnie J. McKay and his 
father Robert McKay.
  Daniel Hoover-Najera began his firefighting career with the Tahquitz 
Type II crew in 2005 and was serving as a seasonal Forest Service 
employee this year. He worked on the Tahquitz Type II crew in 2005 and 
was a seasonal employee in 2006. Just 20 years old, he graduated from 
San Jacinto Mountain View High School in 2004. He is survived by his 
mother Gloria Ayala and his father Timothy Hoover.
  Pablo Cerda was also in his second season with the Forest Service. He 
graduated from Los Amigos High School in Santa Ana in 2001 and attended 
Fire Academy of Riverside Community College. He is survived by his 
father Pablo Cerda, Sr.
  These five U.S. Forest Service firefighters on Engine Crew 57 on the 
San Jacinto Ranger District were dispatched early on the morning of 
Thursday, October 26 to fight the Esperanza fire. Taking a stand atop a 
ridge to protect a home, the crew and their engine were overcome when 
the fire raced up the slope.
  Mr. Speaker, it has been a little more than a month since the loss of 
these brave firefighters, and their neighbors have overwhelmingly shown 
their support through donations and help for their families. They are 
sorely missed by their communities, and by the greater community of 
federal firefighters. I ask my colleagues to please join in sending 
their families our condolences, as well as our sense of deep pride for 
those who dedicate themselves to such selfless public service.

                          ____________________