WHEREAS, for 75 years, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department has safeguarded the residents and property of the Fairfax County community; and

WHEREAS, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department trains firefighters to provide a full complement of fire suppression, technical rescue, swift water rescue, hazardous materials remediation, and emergency medical services, including basic and advanced life support and emergency medical transportation; and

WHEREAS, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department is a career and volunteer all hazards department, ready to respond to any crisis or emergency the county may face; and

WHEREAS, since its humble beginning in July 1949, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department has evolved from 10 skilled members to a complex agency responsible for meeting the emergency needs of more than one million residents; and

WHEREAS, today, nearly 1,400 uniformed men and women of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department operate from 39 fire and rescue stations strategically positioned throughout Fairfax County, while approximately 180 civilians provide key support functions from headquarters and other locations; and

WHEREAS, the courageous, highly trained members of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department have served residents with dedication and distinction and helped make the Fairfax County community a safe place to live, work, and raise a family; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department for its legacy of service on the occasion of its 75th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for the department's history and its contributions to the Commonwealth.