Senate Resolution No. 2483

BY: Senator RATH

        COMMEMORATING   the   100th   Anniversary  of  the
        creation of Clarence Fire District No. 1

  WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud  to  commemorate  the
100th  Anniversary  of the creation of Clarence Fire District No. 1, and
to honor its past and present firefighting members for half a century of
fire  protection  to  the  citizens  of  Clarence,  New  York,  and  its
surrounding communities; and

  WHEREAS,  This auspicious milestone will be recognized at a 100 Year
Anniversary Celebration and Truck Rededication Ceremony on Saturday, May
21, 2022; and

  WHEREAS,  Fire  departments  are  an  integral  part  of   community
protection  services in every locality of our State; during the past 100
years, the courageous and devoted firefighters of Clarence Fire District
No. 1 have valiantly responded to all types of fire emergencies and have
won the praise and respect of the community which they serve; and

  WHEREAS, The first Clarence Fire Company was organized in  March  of
1916,  and  was  comprised  of 25 members, headed by four officers; this
group of men volunteered their time and service to the protection of the
property of all citizens of Clarence  against  fire,  and  by  means  of
subscription,  were able to purchase the fire hall at the top of Academy
Hill; and

  WHEREAS, On March 27, 1920, a petition was presented to the Clarence
Town Board proposing the formation of a fire corporation to be known  as
the  Clarence Fire Company; it was two years later, in 1922, that a fire
district was formed; this was the first fire district to be  set  up  in
the Town of Clarence; and

  WHEREAS, Soon after the creation of the new Clarence Fire Company, a
one-and-a-half-ton  fire  engine  which  was installed with a 440-gallon
chemical tank outfit was purchased alongside a new siren,  allowing  the
Company  to  relieve  itself  from  relying on the local church bells in
emergencies; and

  WHEREAS, The Clarence Fire District has had three fire  houses  over
the  past 100 years; the first was located on Academy Hill, then, in the
summer of 1954, the District purchased a large lot on the south side  of
Bodine  Road,  east  of  Parker Elementary School, where the second fire
house was constructed a year later; it eventually moved one last time on
January 1, 1974, to its present location at 10355 Main Street; and

  WHEREAS,  Well-established  and  ready   for   numerous   types   of
emergences,  the  Clarence  Volunteer  Fire  Company provides fire, EMS,
rescue, hazardous materials, rural search and  rescue,  and  ice  rescue
services to the members of its communities; and

  WHEREAS,  The brave firefighters of Clarence Fire District No. 1 are
prepared to risk their lives every day to help save the lives of  others

and  to  protect homes and property from the destruction caused by fire;
and

  WHEREAS,  Working to ensure the vitality and success of the Clarence
Volunteer Fire Company are its present-day  officers  who  include  Fire
Chief  Brett  Hanford,  First Assistant Chief Ruth Rider-Work, President
Ken Beil, and Vice President Zach Braunschidel; and

  WHEREAS, This Legislative Body cannot express  enough  gratitude  to
those  devoted  individuals  who recognize that the preservation of life
and property is a sacred responsibility and who make that responsibility
their own by serving as firefighters; and

  WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative  Body  that  we  should
give  special  recognition  to  those  who  work  so assiduously for the
betterment of their communities, and  acknowledge  publicly  the  heroic
good  works  performed  by  the volunteer fire departments of this great
Empire State, their officers and auxiliaries; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
commemorate  the  100th  Anniversary  of  the  creation of Clarence Fire
District No. 1 of Clarence, New York; and be it further

  RESOLVED, That a copy of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted to the aforementioned officers of Clarence Fire District No.
1.