| 2 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 5 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 6 | | |
|---|
| 6 | 7 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
|---|
| 7 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Three members of the Pharr Fire Department, |
|---|
| 8 | 9 | | Battalion Chief Sergio Vasquez and engineers Jesus Gonzalez and |
|---|
| 9 | 10 | | Charlie Cavazos, went above and beyond the call of duty to assist in |
|---|
| 10 | 11 | | fighting the catastrophic wildfires that swept across Southern |
|---|
| 11 | 12 | | California in January 2025; and |
|---|
| 12 | 13 | | WHEREAS, The fires broke out in Los Angeles and were fueled by |
|---|
| 13 | 14 | | extreme drought conditions and powerful Santa Ana winds, which |
|---|
| 14 | 15 | | reached speeds of up to 80 miles per hour; as the blazes spread |
|---|
| 15 | 16 | | across Los Angeles County, nearly 200,000 residents were forced to |
|---|
| 16 | 17 | | evacuate, and at least 28 people tragically lost their lives; fires |
|---|
| 17 | 18 | | in the hardest-hit areas raged for weeks, overwhelming local |
|---|
| 18 | 19 | | firefighters' attempts to control them; the economic impact of the |
|---|
| 19 | 20 | | disaster is projected at some $150 billion, making it one of the |
|---|
| 20 | 21 | | costliest in modern United States history; and |
|---|
| 21 | 22 | | WHEREAS, With the fires threatening neighborhoods and entire |
|---|
| 22 | 23 | | communities across the region, a team from the Pharr Fire |
|---|
| 23 | 24 | | Department courageously answered the call for assistance, |
|---|
| 24 | 25 | | mobilizing with seven other agencies as part of the Alamo Strike |
|---|
| 25 | 26 | | Team and the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System; these highly |
|---|
| 26 | 27 | | trained and dedicated individuals worked side by side with |
|---|
| 27 | 28 | | firefighters from around the country to contain the blazes and help |
|---|
| 28 | 29 | | protect the lives and property of those who were in the path of |
|---|
| 29 | 30 | | destruction; facing a task that at times seemed impossible, they |
|---|
| 30 | 31 | | braved treacherous conditions, worked through exhaustion, and |
|---|
| 31 | 32 | | willingly committed to spending weeks away from their families to |
|---|
| 32 | 33 | | render aid; notably, the Pharr Fire Department was the only fire |
|---|
| 33 | 34 | | department south of San Antonio that stepped forward to help during |
|---|
| 34 | 35 | | this crisis; and |
|---|
| 35 | 36 | | WHEREAS, These individuals distinguished themselves through |
|---|
| 36 | 37 | | their willingness to venture far from home and put themselves in |
|---|
| 37 | 38 | | harm's way at a time of desperate need, and through their actions, |
|---|
| 38 | 39 | | they have provided a testament to the strength of the Pharr |
|---|
| 39 | 40 | | community and the spirit of solidarity that unites us as Americans; |
|---|
| 40 | 41 | | now, therefore, be it |
|---|
| 41 | 42 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
|---|
| 42 | 43 | | Legislature hereby commend Battalion Chief Sergio Vasquez and |
|---|
| 43 | 44 | | engineers Jesus Gonzalez and Charlie Cavazos of the Pharr Fire |
|---|
| 44 | 45 | | Department for deploying to California to battle the historic 2025 |
|---|
| 45 | 46 | | wildfires and extend to them sincere appreciation for their |
|---|
| 46 | 47 | | selfless dedication to their duties in and beyond their community; |
|---|
| 47 | 48 | | and, be it further |
|---|
| 48 | 49 | | RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared |
|---|
| 49 | 50 | | for the City of Pharr and for Mr. Vasquez, Mr. Gonzalez, and |
|---|
| 50 | 51 | | Mr. Cavazos as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of |
|---|
| 51 | 52 | | Representatives. |
|---|