[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 10411-10412]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING FIRST RESPONDERS OF ARIZONA'S SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Arizona (Ms. McSally) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding 
individuals in my congressional district who I was proud to award as 
First Responders of Distinction earlier this week.
  We all benefit from the sacrificial work of our first responders, 
whether we have personally experienced it as they responded to our 
emergency or whether we indirectly benefit from it by enjoying the 
safety that they provide.
  The everyday acts of heroism by first responders in our community 
often go uncelebrated. They keep our streets safe, put their lives on 
the line during emergencies, provide assistance whenever needed, and 
save lives.
  Above and beyond even that standard of greatness, there are 
outstanding first responders in my district who serve southern Arizona 
in truly extraordinary ways. These individuals organize community 
races, develop emergency preparedness training, log hundreds of 
volunteer hours, launch public education campaigns, and provide meals 
for disabled seniors.
  That is why I created the First Responders of Distinction Award to 
shine a spotlight on individuals who make extraordinary contributions 
in our community.
  This year, we reached a significant number of nominations, and I was 
pleased to recognize each one for the role they play. Our winner in the 
individual category goes to Lieutenant Mertie Stompro, who has served 
in the Sierra Vista Police Department for 20 years. His many leadership 
roles include team leader for the Sierra Vista Police Department 
Tactical Unit and founding member of the Sierra Vista Police 
Department's Special Response Team.
  Mertie distinguished himself as the sergeant overseeing firearms 
training for the department. He developed force-on-force training to 
simulate real-life scenarios that officers face in the community. His 
steadfast approach to challenging officers in the training environment 
has greatly improved the skill level and preparedness of all ranks in 
the Sierra Vista Police Department.
  In his spare time, Lieutenant Stompro has coordinated an annual Foot 
Pursuit 5K. It is a race that has become the largest organized race in 
the Sierra Vista area and fosters positive interaction between law 
enforcement and the community.
  Last year, it raised $6,000 for the annual Christmas with a Cop event 
sponsored by the Sierra Vista Police Officers' Association. In this 
photo, you can see Lieutenant Stompro engaging with a child at 
Christmas with a Cop, which gives 100 underprivileged children in 
Cochise County the opportunity to spend $100 on whatever they wish to 
purchase.
  For the last 2 years, during the National Bike and Walk to School 
Week, he comes in to work before shift and transforms one of the 
armored vehicles into a Batmobile, driving Batman and Ghostbuster 
around each school in the Sierra Vista neighborhoods to interact with 
the kids.
  Lieutenant Stompro has also worked tirelessly over the last several 
years to develop emergency preparedness training exercises in the local 
schools and

[[Page 10412]]

developed a lasting partnership with the Sierra Vista Unified School 
District. He took the lead in developing exercises to coordinate 
efforts in the event of an active shooter situation.
  Lieutenant Stompro embodies the Sierra Vista Police Department's 
mantra of ``Service with Honor,'' and we are fortunate to have him in 
our community.
  Our team winner for 2017 is the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base 355th 
Civil Engineering Squadron Fire Emergency Services, pictured here 
receiving their award. Davis-Monthan's Fire Emergency Services team 
provides fire, rescue, emergency medical, and combat support in 25 
operating bases year round.
  In the past year, they hosted over 500 firefighters from 12 
neighboring departments, three local fire academies and local law 
enforcement agencies, and joint SWAT/Rescue Task Force training.
  In the last year, this team provided more than 150 hours of fire 
prevention education, supporting over 300 children at Borman Elementary 
and Sonoran Science Academy. Additionally, they volunteered 250 hours 
to Habitat for Humanity, Tanque Verde Little League, STARBASE, Pima 
Interagency Training Committee, Arizona Center for Fire Service 
Excellence, the Public Safety and Emergency Services Institute, and 
numerous other organizations.
  Despite being 30 percent undermanned, they protect $50 billion in 
assets and 14,000 personnel. Even with the diverse demands, they were 
able to combine their experience, hard work, and talent to garner the 
prestigious milestone of Commission on Fire Accreditation 
International, an honor only 230 departments in the world have earned.
  Mr. Speaker, these are just two examples of the heroic and 
extraordinary first responders we are blessed to have serving in my 
district. We will never fully be able to repay these individuals for 
the way they shaped and improved our lives, but we can applaud them and 
offer our sincerest gratitude.
  Before I yield back, I want to point out I am standing here in my 
professional attire, which happens to be a sleeveless dress and open-
toed shoes.

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