[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 6] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 8681] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]TRIBUTE TO KEN STRAIN ______ HON. ROBIN HAYES of north carolina in the house of representatives Wednesday, May 5, 1999 Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Ken Strain, a man dedicated to serve his community. Mr. Strain passed away this week while serving the community of Hemby Bridge, North Carolina as a volunteer fireman. His fire truck flipped while Mr. Strain was returning from a rescue call. Mr. Strain comes from a long line of firefighters. His father Bill and his youngest brother Darren both have served as firefighters in North Carolina. Mr. Strain is survived by his wife, Sharon and their 18-month-old son Kristopher. Mr. Strain kept a picture of his son in his tool box and often visited the fire station with Kristopher. Mr. Strain will be deeply missed as a member of the Hemby Bridge business community. He along with his colleague, close friend and fellow firefighter, Paul Ramsey, were partners at their business, Neighborhood Automotive. While Ken's death is tragic, I must commend his partners at the Union County Volunteer Fire Department for their exemplary record of safety and reliability. This is the first death the department has suffered in 30 years. Mr. Speaker, I want to express my deep remorse to the family and friends of Mr. Ken Strain, but also honor him for his selfless service to his community. Mr. Strain was dedicated to his family, his job and his community and will be missed by all. ____________________