[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 10127]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 REMEMBERING SAN FRANCISCO FIREFIGHTERS

  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring 
the memory of Lieutenant Vincent ``Vince'' Perez, and Firefighter and 
Paramedic Anthony ``Tony'' Valerio. Both of these heroes were long time 
veterans of the San Francisco Fire Department who were tragically 
killed in the line of duty fighting a fire on June 2, 2011.
  During their many years of service to the city of San Francisco, both 
Vincent and Anthony earned the respect and admiration of those with 
whom they worked by consistently going above and beyond the call of 
duty. Both men led by example, and were considered shining stars among 
San Francisco's courageous and dedicated firefighters.
  Vincent was a San Francisco native, growing up in San Francisco's 
Mission District and Bernal Heights neighborhoods. He attended St. 
Charles Elementary School, and graduated from Archbishop Riordan High 
School in 1981. After high school, Vincent attended City College of San 
Francisco, and then served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps and 
later as a deputy sheriff in Alameda County.
  In 1990, Vincent joined the San Francisco Fire Department, ultimately 
rising to the position of lieutenant, where he supervised the crew of 
Engine Company 26, located in San Francisco's Diamond Heights 
neighborhood.
  Vincent is survived by his mother Irene; siblings Lucio, Maryleen, 
and Alexander; many other family members and loved ones; and was 
preceded in death by his father Vincent and brother David.
  Anthony was born in Fort Monmouth, NJ, and later moved to the San 
Francisco Bay Area. In 1975, he graduated from El Camino High School in 
South San Francisco and then went on to earn an associate's degree from 
San Francisco State University.
  He embarked on his career in public service in 1980, starting as an 
EMT at Acme Western in the city of Oakland and later as a paramedic for 
13 years with the San Francisco Department of Public Health. In 1997, 
Anthony began serving the City as both a firefighter and paramedic who 
was assigned to numerous fire stations in the city, including his last 
assignment with Engine Company 26.
  Anthony is survived by his parents Lorraine and Frank; siblings 
Jacqueline, Donna, Marina, Laura, Mark, and Kevin; and many other 
family members and loved ones.
  Lieutenant Vincent Perez and Firefighter and Paramedic Anthony 
Valerio dedicated their lives to their family, community, and Nation, 
and they will long be remembered for their courage and dedication. 
Their service and bravery inspired others and both will be deeply 
missed by all who knew them. I extend my deepest sympathies to both 
men's families, colleagues, and friends.

                          ____________________