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2008 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 524
Commending the James City-Bruton Volunteer Fire Department.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 5, 2008
Agreed to by the Senate, March 6, 2008

 

WHEREAS, in 2008 the James City-Bruton Volunteer Fire Department and its dedicated  members will celebrate their 60th anniversary of outstanding service to the citizens of James City County and the Bruton District of  York County; and

WHEREAS, in March 1947, a group of concerned citizens met to discuss the founding of a volunteer fire department, and on March 2, 1948, a meeting of 200 residents gathered at the Norge Community Hall to witness the induction of 68 volunteers; and

WHEREAS, the new fire department elected G. E. Farthing, Z. O. Smith, and A. R. Lipton to supervise at the scenes of fires and the members elected officers—L. H. Cooley as president, E. C. Summers as captain, Carl Madison as fire chief, Henry Minor as assistant captain, Willie Jacobson as first lieutenant, Kemper Taylor, Jr., as secretary-treasurer, and Frank LeGrand as assistant secretary-treasurer; and

WHEREAS, the new fire department purchased four trucks and positioned them in the Toano, Ewell, Grove, Five Forks and Norge communities; over the years, the service areas would combine to become the present day James City-Bruton Volunteer Fire Department; and

WHEREAS, in 1965 the members of the fire department, with the generous support of the community, raised the funds to build a new modern station on Forge Road and a firefighter was hired to call the volunteers and help ready equipment and later a paramedic and a second firefighter were also hired to help man the new station; and

WHEREAS, in the 1960s, the Ladies Auxiliary was founded to help with programs and fund raising activities, including the department’s popular Fish Fry that is held twice a year; and

WHEREAS, today, the exemplary James City-Bruton Volunteer Fire Department commands a fleet of modern equipment, including two Class A pumper trucks, a tanker, a ladder truck, a specialized squad truck, three brush units, a Chief Suburban and a specialty Suburban, as well as several boats; and

WHEREAS, the well-trained and hardworking 87 members, including 27 life members, of the James City-Bruton Volunteer Fire Department are committed to providing their community with the best fire and rescue services possible; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly commend and congratulate the James City-Bruton Volunteer Fire Department on the occasion of its 60th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the James City-Bruton Volunteer Fire Department as an expression of the General Assembly’s gratitude to the firefighters for their longtime commitment to the citizens of James City County and the Bruton District of York County.