[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 12711-12712]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING CAPTAIN JEFF PAGANINI

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                  in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 8, 2017

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor 
Captain Jeff Paganini upon his retirement after over forty years of 
firefighting in the Sonoma Valley. He has been serving as Captain at 
Sonoma Valley Fire and Rescue since 1997.
  Captain Paganini began his fire service as a work experience student 
at Sonoma Fire Department in 1975. Two years later, at the age of 
eighteen, he became a regular volunteer firefighter and spent his 
summer working the fire season with the California Division of 
Forestry. In 1978, he served as a reserve firefighter for the Napa Fire 
Department before joining Sonoma Valley Fire and Rescue as a paid 
Engineer. The department promoted Captain Paganini to Lieutenant in 
1990 and Captain in 1997.
  In 1980, the Department recognized then Engineer Paganini as the 
Sonoma County Firefighter of the Year for his quick thinking during a 
house fire call. When he arrived to the scene with his crew, he 
witnessed a woman collapse and initiated CPR, an act that saved her 
life. Captain Paganini touched many lives during his years of fighting 
fires, serving the public and mentoring other firefighters.
  Many buildings and programs stand as a testament Captain Paganini's 
excellent career. He secured funding and helped design the museum at 
the Albert C. Mazza Fire Station in Sonoma. The museum shares the rich 
history of firefighting the Sonoma Valley and displays several original 
objects and photos. He played a major role in the design of a state of 
the art training tower that is still in use. In 2006, Captain Paganini 
started the ``Every 15 Minutes'' program at Sonoma Valley High School. 
This program demonstrates the fatal outcomes related to driving drunk 
or impaired. He used his experience and insight to set the 
specifications for the new ladder truck to service our communities.
  Captain Paganini was instrumental in the formation and ultimate 
success of the Sonoma

[[Page 12712]]

Valley Fire and Rescue Authority, which started as a Joint Powers 
Authority between City of Sonoma Fire and Valley of the Moon Fire 
District. Through skillful negotiating and compromising, he paved the 
way to establishing the great organization that our community enjoys 
today.
  Mr. Speaker, Captain Jeff Paganini has led a long career serving the 
people of our community. Therefore, it is fitting and proper that we 
honor him here today and extend our best wishes for an enjoyable 
retirement.

                          ____________________