1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 846 1-3 WHEREAS, The Texas Senate is pleased to welcome the 1-4 participants in "Trailblazing," the Seventh International 1-5 Conference of Fire Service Women, who will be in Austin, Texas, 1-6 from May 28 through June 1, 1997; and 1-7 WHEREAS, Women in the Fire Service, Incorporated, is a 1-8 nonprofit organization dedicated to providing networking, advocacy, 1-9 and educational resources for fire service women; membership 1-10 includes women and men in fire and rescue services throughout the 1-11 world; and 1-12 WHEREAS, The organization is also a source of information 1-13 for fire chiefs and others concerned with making the fire service 1-14 a place where women and men can work together harmoniously and 1-15 professionally; and 1-16 WHEREAS, Women have been active in volunteer fire departments 1-17 for most of this century, but it was not until 1974 that the first 1-18 woman was hired as a career firefighter; their numbers have 1-19 increased dramatically in the last 20 years and today more than 1-20 3,000 women work as career firefighters and officers; tens of 1-21 thousands more volunteer as firefighters, emergency medical 1-22 technicians, and paramedics; and 1-23 WHEREAS, Through their dedication, experience, and expertise, 2-1 women have become chiefs of volunteer fire departments, and the 2-2 number of women career fire chiefs increases each year; and 2-3 WHEREAS, The foundation for Women in the Fire Service was 2-4 begun in the early 1980s when two women firefighters decided to 2-5 start a network that would give fire service women a way of 2-6 contacting each other to talk about issues they faced on the job; 2-7 and 2-8 WHEREAS, The organization has experienced a steady growth in 2-9 numbers and a continued expansion of its role in the fire service; 2-10 the membership is composed of women from 48 states and four foreign 2-11 countries with a wide diversity of lives and backgrounds who are 2-12 united by their work in the fire service; now, therefore, be it 2-13 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 2-14 75th Legislature, hereby recognize the Women in the Fire Service 2-15 and extend best wishes to the attendees for a most informative and 2-16 rewarding seventh annual conference; and, be it further 2-17 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for 2-18 the distinguished group as an expression of the esteem of the 2-19 Texas Senate. 2-20 Barrientos 2-21 ______________________________________ 2-22 President of the Senate 2-23 I hereby certify that the above 2-24 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 2-25 on May 24, 1997. 2-26 ______________________________________ 2-27 Secretary of the Senate 2-28 ______________________________________ 2-29 Member, Texas Senate