H.R. No. 2246
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Brenham Fire Department is celebrating the 150th
anniversary of its founding on May 27, 2017; and
WHEREAS, In response to two devastating fires in 1866, the
Brenham townspeople formed the Brenham Hook and Ladder Company
No. 1 in 1867, which took on the responsibility not only of fighting
fires but also of suppressing lawlessness in the turbulent
Reconstruction era; in the organization's infancy, its members kept
buckets and ladders at their homes and would carry them to the scene
of a blaze, and in 1874, a hook and ladder truck was purchased to aid
in their endeavors; and
WHEREAS, In the decade that followed, several other fire
response groups arose within the community; the Mechanics Engine
Company No. 1 was formed in 1878, the Brenham Hook and Ladder
Company No. 2 in 1882, and the Conner Hose Company in 1885; in 1911,
the organizations merged under the name Brenham Fire Company No. 1,
and that same year, the City of Brenham ordered its first motorized
fire truck; over time, the department continued to modernize to
meet the evolving needs of the day, and three of the historic
vehicles used by the city's firefighters are now on display at the
Brenham Fire Museum; and
WHEREAS, In 1978, the city purchased land on the east side of
Brenham and erected a fire station that still serves the citizens of
Brenham and Washington County, and the organization established a
training center in 1982; today, the Brenham Fire Department is made
up of a combination of paid and volunteer firefighters under the
direction of Fire Chief Ricky Boeker; and
WHEREAS, For a century and a half, the dedicated and
courageous firefighters of the Brenham Fire Department have devoted
themselves to protecting the lives and property of their fellow
citizens, and this notable milestone represents a fitting
opportunity to recognize their vital contributions to the
community; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Brenham
Fire Department and pay tribute to the past and present members of
this venerable organization; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the Brenham Fire Department as an expression of high
regard by the Texas House of Representatives.
Schubert
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 2246 was adopted by the House on May
25, 2017, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House