CONGRESSIONAL RECORD— Extensions of Remarks E1641 HON
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September 15, 2010 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1641 mud on them yet. We lost a lot of men PERSONAL EXPLANATION IN HONOR OF FIRE CHIEF there.’’ TIMOTHY A. POTTS ‘‘Then as soon as the war ended in Oki- HON. JOSEPH CROWLEY nawa, they loaded us on LST’s and they took OF NEW YORK HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH us to Korea. We went in on the west side at OF OHIO a place called Inchon. They loaded us on a IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES narrow-gage railway train, and every little Wednesday, September 15, 2010 hill that we’d go up, we’d have to get out and Wednesday, September 15, 2010 Mr. CROWLEY. Madam Speaker, on Sep- help push the train,’’ Harrison said. tember 14, 2010 I was absent for two rollcall Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise His unit, now the 42nd Engineering Con- votes. If I had been here, I would have voted: today in honor of Fire Chief Timothy A. Potts struction Battalion, was deployed near ‘‘yea’’ on rollcall vote 519 and ‘‘yea’’ on rollcall on the occasion of his retirement from the Seoul, Korea, in late August, 1945, to help vote 520. Olmsted Falls Fire Department. He honorably build the Temple Airfield. served the people of Olmsted Falls with un- ‘‘I remember the first time I went up the f wavering dedication for 35 years as a para- streets of Seoul, you could go across the Han PERSONAL EXPLANATION medic, firefighter and fire chief. river and look straight ahead to the capitol Chief Potts joined the Olmsted Falls Fire and it looked like a beautiful city, and from Department on April 14, 1975, and two years the front side of the street it did, but you’d HON. MARY JO KILROY later he graduated as a paramedic. Through- go around the back to the alleys and maybe OF OHIO out his tenure as a firefighter and paramedic, a cow or a pig would be sticking its head out IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES the window,’’ Harrison said. Chief Potts’ motivation to study, and then later Wednesday, September 15, 2010 teach, never diminished. In 1981, Chief Potts He was in Korea until July, 1946. He earned Ms. KILROY. Madam Speaker, on the legis- became a river rescue instructor and his ex- a bronze battle star, three overseas service pertise in this area of rescue became sought bars, an Asiatic/Pacific Theater ribbon, a lative day of Tuesday, September 14, 2010, I after by numerous departments across the victory medal, an army of occupation medal was unable to cast votes on rollcall votes 519 and a good conduct medal. and 520. Had I been present, I would have state of Ohio. Throughout the 1980s, he trav- voted ‘‘yea’’ on rollcall votes 519 and 520. elled throughout the state to teach courses on ‘‘When I came home from the service, first river rescue and rope rescue. I worked [to] help building Quonset huts for f In 1988, Chief Potts was sworn in as lieu- the veterans over at Iowa State College,’’ tenant and, in 1990, he began teaching all Harrison said. ‘‘Then I went to work for Otis COMMENDING BRANDON ACAD- areas of pre-hospital emergency medical care lumber yard, doing carpentry work. I did EMY’S DESIGNATION AS A 2010 to firefighters and paramedics at Southwest that until 1956, and then I went on the fire BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL department.’’ General Hospital. Throughout his career, Chief Harrison would spend 28 years with the fire Potts sought to strengthen and enhance the department, and in 1985 he began working at HON. ADAM H. PUTNAM Olmsted Falls Fire Department. He wrote the county courthouse as Director of Vet- OF FLORIDA grants for his department totaling nearly $1 eran’s Affairs for 20 years. When working as IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES million, and helped other fire departments se- a carpenter, Harrison helped build 16 new Wednesday, September 15, 2010 cure more than $4 million in funding. In addi- homes in Boone. tion, Chief Potts was instrumental in designing Mr. PUTNAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today the new Olmsted Falls Fire Department build- ‘‘Growing up, everyone worked, so I always to commend Brandon Academy of Brandon, did work. If I were younger I’d still work ing and firehouse. He was sworn in as fire today. That was drilled into me when I was Florida, for winning the prestigious 2010 Na- chief in June of 2004. a young kid, that if you wanted something tional Blue Ribbon Schools award. This rec- Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join out of life you had to work for it and I still ognition of incredible accomplishment was be- me in honoring Fire Chief Timothy A. Potts for feel that way today,’’ Harrison said. stowed on the Academy by U.S. Secretary of his focus and dedication to keeping the people Education Arne Duncan. Harrison has undergone knee replacement who live and work in Olmsted Falls safe and surgery, but stays active and walks each Brandon Academy is a private school in secure. His work and accomplishments as day. He has a daughter living in Boone, two Hillsborough County that provides for the intel- chief, firefighter, paramedic and instructor re- sons, seven grandchildren and seven great lectual development of 227 pre-kindergarten flect integrity, excellence, expertise and heart. grandchildren. through 8th grade students. It boasts one of His efforts will continue to enhance the foun- Harrison said he has no significant regrets the most well-balanced curriculums in the na- dation of safety and well being throughout from his time in the Army, and he appre- tion, offering exceptional instruction in math, Olmsted Falls and will provide a shining exam- ciates accoutrements for veterans such as science, writing, and the arts. Thus, the Acad- ple for all who will follow in his path. emy equips its students with the skills they VA hospitals. f ‘‘Back in those days, you knew when it need to become upstanding, productive, and came your time to go into the service and well-informed citizens. The high achievement A TRIBUTE TO THE 2010 ELLIS IS- you were old enough, you went. You just of the Academy’s student body is in no small LAND MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPI- didn’t make a fuss about it,’’ he said. part due to the involvement of parents in their ENTS Harrison said he feels remorse for soldiers children’s education. from the current conflict, facing a war that The Blue Ribbon Schools award is consid- HON. DAN BURTON is so different from the one he participated ered the highest honor an American school OF INDIANA in. can obtain. Schools singled out for this na- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES tional honor reflect the goals of our nation’s ‘‘I wish all the young men and women in Wednesday, September 15, 2010 the service the best,’’ Harrison said. education reforms for high standards and ac- countability. Specifically, the Blue Ribbon Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I People today are fairly savvy to modern Schools program is designed to honor public rise today to congratulate the 2010 recipients wars, he said, and modern soldiers thank- fully have the option to remain in contact and private schools that are either academi- of the coveted Ellis Island Medal of Honor. with family and friends without relying on cally superior in their states or that dem- Presented annually by the National Ethnic Co- censored mail, as was the case in World War onstrate dramatic gains in student achieve- alition (NECO), the Ellis Island Medal of Honor II. ment. pays tribute to our Nation’s immigrant herit- Harrison will board an Honor Flight next I applaud Head of School Robert Rudolph age, as well as individual achievement. The month on August 19, and will visit the World and Principal Sondra Cliggitt, as well as the medals are awarded to U.S. citizens from var- War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. teachers and students of Brandon Academy ious ethnic backgrounds who exemplify out- for their hard work and commitment to excel- standing qualities in both their personal and I commend John Harrison for his many lence. A good education is essential to ensur- professional lives, while continuing to preserve years of loyalty and service to our great na- ing that future generations lead more success- the richness of their particular heritage. Since tion. It is an immense honor to represent him ful, fulfilling lives. They are making a true dif- NECO’s founding in 1986, more then 2,000 in the United States Congress, and I wish him ference in the lives of so many, and building American citizens have received Ellis Island all the best in his future endeavors. communities that improve students’ learning. Medals of Honor, including six American VerDate Mar 15 2010 21:56 Nov 24, 2010 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORD10\RECFILES\E15SE0.REC E15SE0 mmaher on DSK69SOYB1PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE E1642 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks September 15, 2010 Presidents, several United States Senators, Srinivasan, MD, George R. Stevenson, Bert byterian Church in Congress, and I ask that Congressmen, Nobel Laureates, outstanding R. Sugar, Hon. Eugene R. Sullivan (Ret.), you join me in congratulating them on their ac- athletes, artists, clergy, and military leaders. Jordan P. Thomas, Annie S. Totah, Suzanne complishments of the past 150 years and von Liebig, PhD, William D. Walsh, RADM As we all know, citizens of the United States wishing them the best for the future.