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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, The City of Victoria is celebrating the 150th |
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| 6 | 7 | | anniversary of the Victoria Fire Department with an open house on |
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| 7 | 8 | | November 6, 2021; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, In 1869, in response to several local fires, a group |
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| 9 | 10 | | of residents formed a bucket brigade and Victoria Fire Company |
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| 10 | 11 | | No. 1, a volunteer group that disbanded after a few months; the City |
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| 11 | 12 | | of Victoria formally authorized the formation of a downtown engine |
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| 12 | 13 | | house on June 5, 1870; the following year, C. R. Alden, a tradesman |
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| 13 | 14 | | with experience in fire organizations, laid the foundation for the |
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| 14 | 15 | | current department, and a used hand pumper was purchased from |
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| 15 | 16 | | Mobile, Alabama, to aid in fire-suppression efforts; and |
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| 16 | 17 | | WHEREAS, In the decades that followed, several other fire |
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| 17 | 18 | | response groups arose within the community; Fire Company No. 1 |
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| 18 | 19 | | formed in 1882, Hook & Ladder Company No. 2 in 1882-1883, |
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| 19 | 20 | | Protection Hose Company No. 3 in 1885, and Mechanic's Hose Company |
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| 20 | 21 | | No. 4 in 1893; over time, the department continued to modernize, |
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| 21 | 22 | | and in 1910, the city hired its first salaried firefighters; by |
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| 22 | 23 | | 1930, the department was fully motorized with two combination |
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| 23 | 24 | | pumper and hose trucks, a straight-hose truck, and a chief's car, |
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| 24 | 25 | | and in 1931 Salvage Corps Company No. 5 was established; the |
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| 25 | 26 | | department consolidated with the City of Victoria emergency medical |
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| 26 | 27 | | services into one organization in 1995; and |
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| 27 | 28 | | WHEREAS, Under the direction of fire chief Tracy Fox, the |
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| 28 | 29 | | present-day Victoria FD answers approximately 11,000 service |
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| 29 | 30 | | requests each year and now includes teams for hazardous materials |
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| 30 | 31 | | response, technical rescue, and water rescue; with strong ties to |
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| 31 | 32 | | the community, the department also participates in a number of |
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| 32 | 33 | | safety and educational programs for area residents, and in 2018 it |
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| 33 | 34 | | was recognized for best practices by the Texas Fire Chiefs |
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| 34 | 35 | | Association; and |
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| 35 | 36 | | WHEREAS, For 150 years, the courageous firefighters of the |
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| 36 | 37 | | Victoria Fire Department have devoted themselves to protecting the |
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| 37 | 38 | | lives and property of their fellow citizens, and this notable |
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| 38 | 39 | | milestone represents a fitting opportunity to recognize their vital |
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| 39 | 40 | | contributions to the community; now, therefore, be it |
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| 40 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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| 41 | 42 | | Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby commemorate the 150th |
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| 42 | 43 | | anniversary of the Victoria Fire Department and extend to its |
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| 43 | 44 | | members sincere best wishes for continued success with their |
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| 44 | 45 | | important work; and, be it further |
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| 45 | 46 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 46 | 47 | | prepared for the department as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 47 | 48 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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