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2021 SESSION
21101360DWHEREAS, the McLean Volunteer Fire Department, which has admirably served the community of Fairfax County by aiding in the preservation of citizens’ lives and property, celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2021; and
WHEREAS, known as the McLean Community Fire Association in its early years, the McLean Volunteer Fire Department initially operated out of Henry Alonzo Storm’s general store and used a farm bell to alert firefighters when there was an emergency; and
WHEREAS, renamed the McLean Volunteer Fire Department (MVFD) and officially incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth in 1923, the organization was the first to receive a charter of this kind in Fairfax County and was designated “Company 1”; and
WHEREAS, the MVFD acquired its first piece of motorized firefighting equipment in 1923 with the purchase of a gasoline powered, one-ton truck made by the General Motors Corporation; the organization has regularly updated its equipment since, maintaining a fleet of state-of-the-art emergency vehicles to improve the department’s firefighting and lifesaving capabilities; and
WHEREAS, in 1924, James H. Beattie, then chief of the MVFD, deeded one sixth of an acre to the organization to serve as the location of its first engine house; the original station was renovated and rebuilt over the years by MVFD staff and now serves as a teen center operated by the McLean Community Center for the benefit of young people in the area; and
WHEREAS, in the 1980s, the MVFD moved into a modern, 18,000-square-foot, four-bay, drive-through station, which provides the organization with first-class training facilities and the space for an engine, ladder tower, heavy rescue squad, and medic unit to remain fully operational 24 hours a day; and
WHEREAS, to support the operations of the MVFD, a Ladies Auxiliary was formed in 1925; the auxiliary provided refreshments to firefighters during emergencies and raised vital funds for the department through bake sales, raffles, and other activities; and
WHEREAS, the MVFD established its rescue squad in 1935 when it converted a 1931 Cadillac sedan into the first ambulance in Fairfax County; by 1959, the rescue squad was responding to more than 400 calls a year and is, today, an essential part of Fairfax County’s emergency response team; and
WHEREAS, the MVFD hired its first full-time employee, Samuel Redmond, in 1946, who was joined by John R. Akre and Earl D. Rice in the 1950s, enabling the station to be staffed around the clock, seven days a week; today, there are more than 45 career firefighters who staff the fire station, and their efforts are supplemented and supported by more than 50 volunteer members; and
WHEREAS, in the earliest chapters of MVFD’s history, when McLean was still predominately rural, the station served as a hub for the community; this convivial spirit persists through the MVFD’s many community outreach activities, including a December holiday parade; and
WHEREAS, with great dedication to ensuring children in the community understand the importance of fire safety, the MVFD has presented tutorials to more than 15,000 young people through its mobile “Fire Safety House” and other activities; and
WHEREAS, by providing exemplary fire, rescue, and emergency medical services and safety education to the McLean community, the MVFD helps make the Commonwealth a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the McLean Volunteer Fire Department on the occasion of its 100th anniversary; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Kay Hartgrove, president of the McLean Volunteer Fire Department, as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration for the organization’s illustrious history and its innumerable contributions to the Commonwealth.