Mr. Speaker.

While addressing the friends and family of Brian Fahey - one of the New York City firefighters who was killed on Sunday, June 17th - the Reverend Anthony Pascual of St. Raymond Church said, "How do you measure the quality of a man's life? Not by the number of years he lived, but by his deeds."

Three brave men, Brian Fahey, Harry Ford, and John Downing, made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Every day that they worked, they risked their lives. Every time they entered a burning building they knew that they were putting their lives on the line, but they placed the safety of others above their own well-being.

Sunday, June 17th, was also Father's Day. These three men were not only firefighters but fathers, and among them they had eight children.

New York City Fire Commissioner Thomas Von Essen referred to Brian Fahey as "a firefighter to the core."

He was a fourteen year veteran of the department who was loved and respected by his colleagues and his family. In addition to coaching a Little League team, one of his greatest passions was training volunteer firefighters at the Nassau County Fire Service Academy.

He was a father of 3-year-old twin boys, and an 8-year-old son. Harry Ford was a twenty seven year veteran of the Fire Department. He was renowned amongst his colleagues for his bravery and loyalty.

In addition to being a great firefighter, he was also passionate about his family. He leaves behind three children, a daughter, age 24, and two sons, ages 10 and 12.

John Downing, the third man killed in the blaze was an 11-year veteran beloved by his colleagues and respected as a hard-working and dedicated firefighter.

Mr. Downing was also a passionate family man. So much so that he had worked two jobs to be able to take his family on a month long vacation to Northern Island. He leaves behind a 7-year-old daughter, and a 3-year-old son.

More than ten thousand firefighters from all over the country and from Canada came to New York to mourn with the families and friends of these heroic men. The men and women who fight fires and face death everyday have a strong bond between them. The deaths of these fine men touched the lives of firefighters everywhere.

In commemorating these great men and their brave deeds, we must not only honor their memory, we must also act now to ensure that a preventable tragedy such as this one never happens again.

Commissioner Von Essen has said that if the building had been equipped with a fire sprinkler system, the lives of these three brave men would have been spared.

The fire in the Long Island Supply Store that killed these three men and injured many more, raged for twelve hours. Stored in the basement of the building were flammable materials, such as paints, thinners, and various other chemicals which caused the violent explosion that took the lives of these three brave men.

Because the building was 128 years old, it predated the ordinance that requires a sprinkler system. I strongly support the efforts of my colleagues in city government, who - in learning from this terrible tragedy - are working to enact legislation requiring sprinkler systems in all buildings that store flammable materials.

We must ensure that such a tragedy does not recur so that the selfless sacrifices made by these three men, heroes to all New Yorkers, were not made in vain.