WASHINGTON D.C. – When members of Congress and the public paid their respects to Representative John Lewis as his body lied in state at the United States Capitol on July 28-29, 2020, California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) Member and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Emergency Services Coordinator Jerry Fuhrman was there to assist as a member of the Federal Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT).“It was a true honor to be chosen for the event, one that I will remember for a lifetime,” said Fuhrman. “I met several new friends as well as gaining more experience for future deployments.”
Fuhrman was the safety officer for the team which was staffed with a physician, nurses, EMT’s, pharmacists, and other medical professionals. The team spent four days in Washington D.C. for the event. Part of Fuhrman's role included keeping the staff safe through site inspections (generators, facilities, and logistics), making sure they remained hydrated, keeping track of the locations of team members at all times, and staying in constant communication with HHS and Capitol police for the staff’s safety.
This was not Fuhrman’s first deployment as an emergency service coordinator. His prior assignments have included numerous trips across the country including Florida where flooding occurred following hurricanes. While in Washington D.C., the Federal Disaster Medical Assistance Team met U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams and the director of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. The team also caught a glimpse of U.S. Vice President Mike Pence at the viewing.
Rep. John Lewis, a civil rights leader in the United States, served in the United States House of Representatives for Georgia's 5th congressional district from 1987 until his death on July 17, 2020. He was 80 years old.
“Thank you, Jerry, for sharing your recent deployment with CSLEA. We are proud of all of our members and the work that they do, and we are proud of you and your service to our state and our country,” said CSLEA President Alan Barcelona.
