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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Municipalities continually struggle to maintain
3necessary funds for the compensation of full-time emergency
4responders; as such, municipalities turn to the aid of
5volunteers to supplement necessary services; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Volunteer emergency responders often go
7unappreciated for all of their long hours and incomprehensible
8skill sets; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Volunteer emergency responders endure hours of
10training in preparation of disasters and emergencies; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Emergency responders are required to become
12proficient in emergency medical training and numerous other
13skills; and
 
14    WHEREAS, These volunteer firefighters, emergency medical
15technicians (EMTs), divers, rescue squads, and response teams
16risk their lives daily to help the needs of their community;
17and
 
18    WHEREAS, These individuals respond to emergency calls at
19any moment, at any time of the day, often leaving their
20families and full-time jobs on a moment's notice; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Volunteer firefighters, EMTs, divers, rescue
2squads, and response teams risk their lives on emergency calls
3and are compensated by either small stipends or no pay at all;
4and
 
5    WHEREAS, The contributions and sacrifices of volunteer
6firefighters, EMTs, divers, rescue squads, and response teams
7and their families often go unrecognized; and
 
8    WHEREAS, There are over 30,000 people serving throughout
9the State of Illinois as volunteer firefighters and EMTs; and
 
10    WHEREAS, According the United States Fire Administration,
1160% of firefighter deaths in the United States in 2011 have
12been volunteer servicers; therefore, be it
 
13    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
14ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we honor these
15volunteer emergency responders, who serve without
16compensation, and constantly risk their lives on a daily basis
17to retain the safety of their communities, by proclaiming the
18third Thursday in May of 2012 as Volunteer Emergency Responder
19Appreciation Day in the State of Illinois.