[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 9684-9685]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   CHIEF STEVE WHEELER--TEXAS FIREMAN

  (Mr. POE of Texas asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, the small town of Cleveland, Texas, 
lost one of their finest citizens this week when Fire Chief Steve 
Wheeler was killed. Steve was more than a Fire Chief. He was a 
fireman's firefighter--dedicated to the people of his town.
  Steve decided at 13 he wanted to be a fireman. He worked at the local 
barbershop and watched the firefighters next door at the station jump 
on fire trucks--and he got the urge to do the same.
  After high school, he drove an ambulance and joined the volunteer 
fire department. He has held just about every

[[Page 9685]]

position there ever since--most recently, head of the Cleveland 
Emergency Management Department. That's the folks that take over during 
hurricane disasters.
  Steve will be remembered most for the 30 years as Chief of the 
Cleveland Volunteer Fire Department, for that firefighter spirit that 
he had, and that unwavering devotion to his firemen.
  Today, Chief Steve Wheeler answered his last call. Flags will be 
lowered; the final radio call will be made; and the final fire bell 
will be rung.
  Our prayers go out to the Wheeler family, the Cleveland Fire 
Department, and the good people of that entire community.
  Steve Wheeler--fireman, father, fine Texan.
  And that's just the way it is.

                          ____________________