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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Deputy Chief Jerry Bittner retired from The |
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Woodlands Fire Department on April 1, 2021, drawing to a close an |
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outstanding career with the department that spanned four decades; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, The longest serving employee of TWFD and The |
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Woodlands Township, Chief Bittner first joined the department as a |
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recruit in July 1981; rising steadily through the ranks, he earned |
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promotions to firefighter 3rd class, chauffeur, lieutenant, and |
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shift captain; in 1990, he was appointed captain of Support |
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Services, and since 1996, he has served as deputy chief, including |
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five months as acting chief; he is retiring as deputy chief of |
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training and EMS; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of his exemplary 40-year tenure with |
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the department, Chief Bittner helped design and manage the |
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construction of the department's headquarters and central fire |
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station as well as the Emergency Training Center and Stations 3, 4, |
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5, 6, 7, and 8; he also oversaw the renovation of Fire Station 2, and |
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from 1996 to 2017, he chaired the apparatus committee and was |
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responsible for managing the acquisition of the department's |
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current fleet of vehicles; and |
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WHEREAS, One of Chief Bittner's most significant |
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achievements was the consolidation of a patchwork of fire dispatch |
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systems into one system managed by The Woodlands Fire Department; |
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the new cohesive system allows for close cooperation with 12 |
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Montgomery County fire departments and the Montgomery County |
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Hospital District, ensuring residents of The Woodlands a rapid |
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response and a state-of-the-art 9-1-1 system; and |
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WHEREAS, Chief Bittner's dedication, encyclopedic knowledge |
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of the department, and commitment to excellence have greatly |
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benefited the citizens of The Woodlands and earned him the respect |
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and admiration of his fellow firefighters, and he may indeed |
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reflect with pride on a career well spent as he embarks on the next |
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exciting chapter of his life; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Deputy Chief Jerry Bittner on his |
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retirement from The Woodlands Fire Department and extend to him |
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sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Chief Bittner as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |