Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a dedicated public servant in Vermont who passed away earlier this month. Ralph Jackman joined the Vergennes Volunteer Fire Department in 1947, and took over the helm as chief of the department in 1954. Some 55 years later, in November 2009, he stepped down from his post--widely recognized as one of the longest serving fire chiefs in the Nation. During his time as the chief, Jackman saw many changes at the fire department. The department grew immensely-- doubling the number of firefighters and tripling the number of vehicles. He oversaw the establishment of a cadet program and the construction of a new fire station. He also found time for a variety of community service activities, including serving as the two-time president of the Vermont State Firefighters Association. Throughout his entire career, Jackman was in the thick of the action, responding to emergency calls and managing the volunteer department's operations. Chief Jackman's family had firefighting in its blood. Jackman's twin brother Fred, who passed away in 2008, was a member of the Bristol Fire Department for 62 years, including 14 years as that department's chief. Chief Jackman's wife, as well as his five daughters, helped the Vergennes Volunteer Fire Department throughout his career. And eight of Chief Jackman's grandchildren are now firefighters.…”