Floor SpeechCeremonial2024-12-17

CELEBRATING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BURTONSVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT

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On 2024-12-17, Representative Elise M. Stefanik (R-NY-21) delivered a floor speech titled "CELEBRATING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BURTONSVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT" in the House. The speech addressed taxes and also covered the environment.

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CELEBRATING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BURTONSVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT

Congressional Record, Volume 170 Issue 187 (Tuesday, December 17, 2024) [Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 187 (Tuesday, December 17, 2024)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E1290] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] CELEBRATING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BURTONSVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT ______ HON. ELISE M. STEFANIK of new york in the house of representatives Tuesday, December 17, 2024 Ms. STEFANIK. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor the 75th anniversary of the Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department in Esperance, New York. The first 22 members of what would become the Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department convened on May 2, 1949, to elect its leadership and organize an all-volunteer company. After officially incorporating the department later that year, members held meetings in their private homes and barns as they had yet to establish a central station. The department was able to raise sufficient funding and purchased its first vehicle in 1950--a 1948 GMC truck--while additional equipment was stored on the premises of the local Methodist Church. Years later, after replacing the body of the original GMC, the department was colloquially known as the ``Pepsi Cola fire department'' for the red and white colors of its truck. In 1951, the department passed a resolution to purchase land at the intersection of Burtonsville and Colyer Road for its firehouse. Construction began in 1952, and the first onsite meeting was held on May 13, 1954. In the decades that followed, the firehouse grew and started additionally serving as a community center that hosted bingo, concerts, movie nights, fundraisers, auctions, and many special dinners. An extension to the firehouse in 1990 expanded their premises, including a new bay for additional and larger trucks. Since its incorporation, the Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department has consistently modernized and increased its capabilities. The department formed an auxiliary in February 1955 to supplement their organization and welcomed its first female volunteers from this auxiliary in the 1960s. The organization has continued to grow in both its personnel and capabilities as some volunteers are now trained as First Responders and Emergency Medical Technicians to provide life- saving care at the scene of an emergency. Furthermore, the department's volunteers now respond to instances of flood and storm damage, as well as hazardous materials incidents, and cooperate with other New York State fire departments to assist in emergencies. On behalf of New York's 21st Congressional District, it is an honor to recognize the history of the Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department and the generations of brave volunteers who have worked to ensure the safety of their community. ____________________

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CELEBRATING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BURTONSVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT Congressional Record, Volume 170 Issue 187 (Tuesday, December 17, 2024) [Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 187 (Tuesday, December 17, 2024)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E1290] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] CELEBRATING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BURTONSVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT ______ HON. ELISE M. STEFANIK of new york in the house of representatives Tuesday, December 17, 2024 Ms. STEFANIK. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor the 75th anniversary of the Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department in Esperance, New York. The first 22 members of what would become the Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department convened on May 2, 1949, to elect its leadership and organize an all-volunteer company. After officially incorporating the department later that year, members held meetings in their private homes and barns as they had yet to establish a central station. The department was able to raise sufficient funding and purchased its first vehicle in 1950--a 1948 GMC truck--while additional equipment was stored on the premises of the local Methodist Church. Years later, after replacing the body of the original GMC, the department was colloquially known as the ``Pepsi Cola fire department'' for the red and white colors of its truck. In 1951, the department passed a resolution to purchase land at the intersection of Burtonsville and Colyer Road for its firehouse. Construction began in 1952, and the first onsite meeting was held on May 13, 1954. In the decades that followed, the firehouse grew and started additionally serving as a community center that hosted bingo, concerts, movie nights, fundraisers, auctions, and many special dinners. An extension to the firehouse in 1990 expanded their premises, including a new bay for additional and larger trucks. Since its incorporation, the Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department has consistently modernized and increased its capabilities. The department formed an auxiliary in February 1955 to supplement their organization and welcomed its first female volunteers from this auxiliary in the 1960s. The organization has continued to grow in both its personnel and capabilities as some volunteers are now trained as First Responders and Emergency Medical Technicians to provide life- saving care at the scene of an emergency. Furthermore, the department's volunteers now respond to instances of flood and storm damage, as well as hazardous materials incidents, and cooperate with other New York State fire departments to assist in emergencies. On behalf of New York's 21st Congressional District, it is an honor to recognize the history of the Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department and the generations of brave volunteers who have worked to ensure the safety of their community. ____________________