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Regular Session, 2013
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 58
BY SENATOR CROWE
COMMENDATIONS. Commends St. Tammany Parish Fire District No. 1 Fire Chief Larry
Hess for 48 years in fire protection, upon his retirement in September 2013.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To commend St. Tammany Parish Fire District No. 1 Fire Chief Larry Hess for his 48-year2
career in fire protection upon his retirement in September 2013.3
WHEREAS, in April, Chief Larry Hess, age 67, submitted a letter of resignation,4
effective on September 30 of this year, ending his 48-year career in fire protection; and5
WHEREAS, Chief Hess, ending his ten-year term as chief of the St. Tammany Parish6
Fire District No. 1, thanked the board and others in the department while outlining what he7
considered the signature accomplishments of his tenure as chief; and 8
WHEREAS, Hess remarked in his letter that he was pleased to leave "a financially9
stable public safety agency" which was not the case with the district when he took over as10
chief a decade ago; and11
WHEREAS, during Hess' decade as chief, he stated that he and his staff operated the12
department within its budget, while rolling back millage rates beyond that of any public13
agency in St. Tammany Parish; and 14
WHEREAS, Hess stated that his administration had created a safer workplace for fire15
fighters and improved professionalism among the district employees; and16
WHEREAS, the chief also called attention to the paramedic program that was17
implemented during his tenure and to the increased involvement of fire fighters and the18 SCR NO. 58
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department in the surrounding community; and1
WHEREAS, last fall the Property Insurance Association of Louisiana upgraded the2
fire rating for the unincorporated areas of the parish, moving from a four to a three based3
upon a scale of one to ten, with one being the best rating; and4
WHEREAS, Hess said that the district implemented a strategic plan to improve the5
rating of the unincorporated areas, which lagged behind the three rating attained in the6
incorporated areas of the parish; and7
WHEREAS, during his tenure the department increased staffing, developed new8
record-keeping practices and equipment placement, all factors which figured in the improved9
fire rating for the unincorporated areas of the parish; and10
WHEREAS, prior to his designation as chief of St. Tammany Parish Fire District No.11
1, Hess served as fire superintendent for St. Tammany Parish; and12
WHEREAS, fire district board Chairman, Dan Crowley, noted the chief's emphasis13
on the work of the district as a whole, not seeking individual credit for achievements; and14
WHEREAS, Crowley especially noted that Hess has been "big about good order and15
discipline" which Crowley valued in Hess' service as chief.16
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby17
commend and congratulate Fire Chief Larry Hess for his 48-year career in fire protection18
upon his retirement in September 2013.19
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Fire20
Chief Larry Hess of St. Tammany Parish Fire District No. 1.21
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Mary Dozier O'Brien.
DIGEST
Crowe SCR No. 58
Commends St. Tammany Parish Fire District No. 1 Fire Chief Larry Hess for his 48-year
career in fire protection upon his retirement in September 2013.