| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 2491 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, Fire Chief Manuel Mello III has made invaluable |
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| 6 | 6 | | contributions to his community during his 35 years of dedicated |
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| 7 | 7 | | service to the Eagle Pass Fire Department; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Chief Mello first joined the department as a |
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| 9 | 9 | | volunteer in 1988, before being hired as a full-time employee in |
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| 10 | 10 | | 1992; he worked on the front lines as a firefighter and emergency |
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| 11 | 11 | | medical technician for several years, and he was among the Eagle |
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| 12 | 12 | | Pass firefighters who were deployed to the massive Eagle Oil fire of |
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| 13 | 13 | | 1994; while he and his colleagues were battling the blaze, he risked |
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| 14 | 14 | | his life by driving a burning 18-wheeler away from the scene, which |
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| 15 | 15 | | prevented many deaths that may have occurred if a fuel tanker had |
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| 16 | 16 | | caught fire; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, As he excelled in his duties, Chief Mello received a |
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| 18 | 18 | | series of promotions, to lieutenant, acting captain, and assistant |
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| 19 | 19 | | fire chief; he took the reins of the department in 2015, and his |
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| 20 | 20 | | major accomplishments have included implementing new policies and |
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| 21 | 21 | | procedures, procuring new vehicles and equipment, and overseeing |
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| 22 | 22 | | the construction of the downtown fire station and the |
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| 23 | 23 | | reconstruction of Station 2; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | WHEREAS, Along the way, Chief Mello has continued his |
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| 25 | 25 | | professional development, earning certifications as a fire |
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| 26 | 26 | | instructor, fire officer, and certified fire executive, to name but |
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| 27 | 27 | | a few; he also served as the emergency management coordinator for |
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| 28 | 28 | | the City of Eagle Pass from 2014 to 2018, and since 2013, he has been |
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| 29 | 29 | | involved in the Amistad Border Task Force, a collaboration between |
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| 30 | 30 | | the Environmental Protection Agency and its Mexican counterpart to |
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| 31 | 31 | | address environmental issues on both sides of the border; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | WHEREAS, Chief Manuel Mello has exemplified the highest |
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| 33 | 33 | | ideals of his profession and contributed immeasurably to the safety |
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| 34 | 34 | | and well-being of his fellow citizens, and his exceptional efforts |
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| 35 | 35 | | have earned him the lasting respect and admiration of all who know |
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| 36 | 36 | | him; now, therefore, be it |
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| 37 | 37 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 38 | 38 | | Legislature hereby honor Fire Chief Manuel Mello III for his 35 |
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| 39 | 39 | | years of service to the Eagle Pass Fire Department and extend to him |
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| 40 | 40 | | sincere best wishes for continued success with his important work; |
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| 41 | 41 | | and, be it further |
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| 42 | 42 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 43 | 43 | | prepared for Chief Mello as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 44 | 44 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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| 45 | 45 | | Morales of Maverick |
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| 46 | 46 | | ______________________________ |
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| 47 | 47 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 48 | 48 | | I certify that H.R. No. 2491 was adopted by the House on May |
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| 49 | 49 | | 29, 2023, by a non-record vote. |
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| 50 | 50 | | ______________________________ |
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| 51 | 51 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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