OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

The Volunteer Fighters of Vermont

Date: June 27, 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: National Security Infrastructure


THE VOLUNTEER FIGHTERS OF VERMONT -- (Extensions of Remarks - June 27, 2005)

SPEECH OF
HON. BERNARD SANDERS
OF VERMONT
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2005

Mr. SANDERS. Mr. Speaker, there are over 800,000 volunteer firefighters in the United States. Of the 30,000 fire departments in the United States, two thirds are entirely made up of volunteers--21,761 companies. Another 5,271 companies are mostly made up of volunteers.

In my own state of Vermont there are 246 small towns-and 244 fire departments. Five of them are in large cities, where there first responders are full time, paid firefighters. Vermont has 265 paid firefighters-all brave and dedicated men and women.

But in rural Vermont, dotted with small cities and smaller towns, there is often neither the population base nor the budget to support full-time firefighters. But thousands of remarkable men and women step into the breech, giving generously of their time and energy and commitment to make sure our residences, our businesses, our farms, our towns, are safe. Vermont, with a population of about 620,000, has an astonishing 6,235 volunteer firefighters. Just over one person in every hundred who lives in our largely rural state has devoted himself or herself to protecting the community in which they live.

These first responders are models for people across our entire nation of what commitment to one's neighbor looks like. Every day they demonstrate, in good weather and bad, in sweltering summer heat when their boots and coats are like ovens, and in the depths of winter when the temperature goes to 25 below and frostbite threatens, that they are willing to put their lives on the line to protect the lives of others.

Our nation was built by people who were as concerned about their neighbors as they were about their own interests. It has been sustained by brave men and women who love their country, their community, their neighbors and family, as much as they love life itself. And that tradition of service and bravery continues in Vermont. I proudly celebrate, today, the remarkable volunteer firefighters of Vermont. We all owe them a debt of gratitude: They are among the great unsung heroes of our times.

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