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2015 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 802
Commending the Arlington County Fire Department.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 13, 2015
Agreed to by the Senate, February 19, 2015

 

WHEREAS, in 2015, the Arlington County Fire Department celebrates 75 years of protecting and serving the people and businesses of Arlington; and

WHEREAS, on July 15, 1940, the Arlington County Fire Department was created to supplement the work of the many volunteer firefighting forces in the county; the staff of the Arlington County Fire Department initially consisted of a chief and 18 firefighting staff; and

WHEREAS, the mission of the Arlington County Fire Department is to serve the community with compassion, integrity, and commitment through prevention, education, and a professional response to all hazards; and

WHEREAS, in 2015, the people of Arlington County benefit from a highly trained career firefighting force that operates out of 10 stations; the 330 members of the Arlington County Fire Department protect and serve the public in many ways; and

WHEREAS, the members of the Arlington County Fire Department are trained in fire suppression, emergency medical care, hazardous material response, technical rescue, vehicle extrication, swift water rescue, and hazardous device response; the county hired the first female career firefighter in the United States in 1974; and

WHEREAS, the Arlington County Fire Department is committed to providing excellent leadership and professional accountability, and the department works to meet these goals by providing effective training, utilizing technology, and adapting to the changing needs of the community; and

WHEREAS, the Arlington County Fire Department is always available to assist other fire departments in Northern Virginia, and when called on, the fire department provides help to fire departments throughout the greater Washington, D.C., area as part of a mutual aid agreement; and

WHEREAS, the Arlington County Fire Department, in partnership with the United States Public Health Service, developed a metropolitan medical strike team, which is the nation’s first nonmilitary terrorism response team; and

WHEREAS, in addition to serving the 224,000 residents of Arlington County and thousands of visitors, the Arlington County Fire Department is the primary responder to the Pentagon and also assists firefighters at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and the United States Army’s Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall; and

WHEREAS, on September 11, 2001, the Arlington County Fire Department was the lead agency in responding to the attack on the Pentagon; firefighters exhibited the utmost bravery, skill, and dedication as they worked to extinguish the fires, stabilize the building, treat the injured, and recover those who lost their lives; and

WHEREAS, for 75 years, the men and women of the Arlington County Fire Department have never wavered in their resolve to protect and serve, and they are vigilant in their commitment to the safety of the people of Arlington County; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Arlington County Fire Department on the occasion of its 75th anniversary of protecting and serving the people and businesses of Arlington County; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to James Schwartz, Chief of the Arlington County Fire Department, as an expression of the General Assembly’s congratulations and admiration for the bravery and skilled work shown daily by the members of the Arlington County Fire Department.