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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, James Moya, a member of the Shamrock Volunteer Fire |
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| 6 | 7 | | Department, was part of a coalition of first responders who risked |
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| 7 | 8 | | their lives to battle the deadly wildfires that swept across the |
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| 8 | 9 | | Texas Panhandle in March 2017; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, An employee of Wheeler County Precinct 3, James Moya |
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| 10 | 11 | | has served as a volunteer firefighter with Shamrock VFD for more |
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| 11 | 12 | | than 10 years; on March 23, 2017, he and a number of other area |
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| 12 | 13 | | firefighters and county employees, including his father, Frank |
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| 13 | 14 | | Moya, were called to help contain a wildfire that had broken out |
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| 14 | 15 | | near Shamrock; while using a road grader to create a firebreak, he |
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| 15 | 16 | | was trapped inside his machine when it stalled and the wind suddenly |
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| 16 | 17 | | shifted, sending the flames in his direction; the fire soon |
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| 17 | 18 | | engulfed the grader, where the heat became so intense that the |
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| 18 | 19 | | windows shattered; and |
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| 19 | 20 | | WHEREAS, Fighting for his life, James Moya managed to radio |
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| 20 | 21 | | for help; his message was heard by his father, who was driving a |
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| 21 | 22 | | road grader of his own and who immediately went to help; the elder |
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| 22 | 23 | | Mr. Moya was able to move his son to safety, and James was |
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| 23 | 24 | | ultimately transported by helicopter to a medical center in |
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| 24 | 25 | | Lubbock; he suffered burns to more than 30 percent of his body and |
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| 25 | 26 | | spent 60 days in the burn unit before returning to Shamrock, where |
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| 26 | 27 | | he was welcomed home by a grateful community; and |
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| 27 | 28 | | WHEREAS, Although Mr. Moya is still recovering from his |
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| 28 | 29 | | injuries, he draws strength from the support of a loving family that |
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| 29 | 30 | | includes his father, his mother, Melanie Moya, his sister, Shonda, |
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| 30 | 31 | | his wife, Alisha, and his three young sons; and |
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| 31 | 32 | | WHEREAS, James Moya's exceptional valor and commitment to |
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| 32 | 33 | | serving others have made him a source of immense pride to his family |
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| 33 | 34 | | and a hero to his community, and he has earned the respect and |
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| 34 | 35 | | admiration of all his fellow Texans; now, therefore, be it |
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| 35 | 36 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 36 | 37 | | Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby honor James Moya for his |
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| 37 | 38 | | courage and sacrifice during the Texas Panhandle wildfire crisis of |
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| 38 | 39 | | 2017 and extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be |
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| 39 | 40 | | it further |
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| 40 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 41 | 42 | | prepared for Mr. Moya as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 42 | 43 | | House of Representatives. |
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