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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Billy Parker is retiring as director of the Texas |
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| 6 | 7 | | A&M Engineering Extension Service's Texas Task Force 1 on March 31, |
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| 7 | 8 | | 2015; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Parker began his long and distinguished career |
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| 9 | 10 | | in public service in 1976, when he became a firefighter for the |
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| 10 | 11 | | Clyde Fire Department; he went on to join the Texas A&M Engineering |
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| 11 | 12 | | Extension Service, a state agency that trains public safety workers |
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| 12 | 13 | | and provides emergency responders during large-scale crises; |
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| 13 | 14 | | there, he helped establish the new Regional Texas Task Force System |
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| 14 | 15 | | and develop an expansive and comprehensive training facility called |
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| 15 | 16 | | Disaster City; in addition, he acted as chief of the TEEX Recruit |
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| 16 | 17 | | Academy and oversaw the training of more than 1,500 fire cadets; and |
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| 17 | 18 | | WHEREAS, Widely recognized as an expert in search and rescue, |
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| 18 | 19 | | Mr. Parker also played a key role in the growth of the agency's |
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| 19 | 20 | | Texas Task Force 1 from a small advisory board to one of the most |
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| 20 | 21 | | called-upon rescue teams in the country; as a member of the task |
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| 21 | 22 | | force, he was deployed during several prominent state and national |
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| 22 | 23 | | disasters, including the A&M bonfire collapse, the World Trade |
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| 23 | 24 | | Center attack, and Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Ike; he was named |
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| 24 | 25 | | director of Texas Task Force 1 in 2012; and |
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| 25 | 26 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Parker received the TEEX Distinguished Service |
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| 26 | 27 | | Award in 2005 and the Regents Fellow Service Award from The Texas |
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| 27 | 28 | | A&M University System Board of Regents the following year; and |
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| 28 | 29 | | WHEREAS, An engaged member of his community, Mr. Parker has |
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| 29 | 30 | | served as a volunteer firefighter, a paramedic, and a girls' |
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| 30 | 31 | | softball coach; he has also been a valued congregant of Hillcrest |
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| 31 | 32 | | Baptist Church for more than 22 years; and |
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| 32 | 33 | | WHEREAS, Through his loyalty, integrity, and unwavering |
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| 33 | 34 | | commitment to the safety and well-being of his fellow Texans, Billy |
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| 34 | 35 | | Parker has set a standard of leadership and service to which others |
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| 35 | 36 | | may aspire, and he may reflect with pride on a career well spent; |
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| 36 | 37 | | now, therefore, be it |
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| 37 | 38 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 38 | 39 | | Legislature hereby congratulate Billy Parker on his retirement from |
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| 39 | 40 | | the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service and extend to him |
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| 40 | 41 | | sincere best wishes for continued success and happiness; and, be it |
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| 41 | 42 | | further |
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| 42 | 43 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 43 | 44 | | prepared for Mr. Parker as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 44 | 45 | | House of Representatives. |
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