H.R. No. 979

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Proud members of the State Firemen's and Fire
	Marshals' Association of Texas are gathering on March 23, 2011, to
	commemorate Firefighter Legislative Day at the State Capitol; and
	WHEREAS, These esteemed men and women are paying tribute to
	the tireless and heroic actions of all members of the Texas fire
	service, and especially one courageous volunteer firefighter,
	Captain Thomas Araguz III, who died in the line of duty and whose
	name is being unveiled at the Volunteer Firemen monument on the
	Capitol grounds; and
	WHEREAS, Captain Araguz was a member of the Wharton Volunteer
	Fire Department until his death on July 4, 2010, and his family is
	here with us today to honor his memory; and
	WHEREAS, Founded in 1876, the State Firemen's and Fire
	Marshals' Association of Texas is the oldest fire service
	organization in the state; it is also the largest, with 1,200 fire
	and emergency services departments, more than 21,000 individual
	members, 80 industrial fire brigades, and 100 international
	members; and
	WHEREAS, SFFMA sponsors and supports the world's largest
	fire-training school, held each summer at Texas A&M University; the
	association also provides instructors and professional services on
	the fire school's advisory board; and
	WHEREAS, The cornerstone of SFFMA is the certification
	program for volunteer firefighters, which encourages training,
	education, and certification for all volunteers; and
	WHEREAS, Approximately 70 to 80 percent of Texas firefighters
	are volunteers who attend training sessions to learn the latest
	firefighting techniques and who contribute their time and effort to
	respond to emergency calls; and
	WHEREAS, The State Firemen's and Fire Marshals' Association
	of Texas is working to uphold its mission to promote, unify,
	represent, and educate the fire service of Texas, and it is a
	privilege to recognize the brave men and women who help safeguard
	lives and property in communities all across the Lone Star State;
	now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
	Legislature hereby commend the firefighters of Texas for their
	courageous actions and devotion to duty in behalf of their fellow
	citizens and pay tribute to the volunteer firefighters who have
	died in the line of duty.
	Keffer
	Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison
	Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr.
	Allen Gooden Murphy
	Alonzo Guillen Naishtat
	Alvarado Gutierrez Nash
	Anchia Hamilton Oliveira
	Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr
	Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto
	Aycock Harless Parker
	Beck Harper-Brown Patrick
	Berman Hartnett Paxton
	Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena
	Bonnen Hilderbran Perry
	Branch Hochberg Phillips
	Brown Hopson Pickett
	Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts
	Burnam Howard of Travis Price
	Button Huberty Quintanilla
	Cain Hughes Raymond
	Callegari Hunter Reynolds
	Carter Isaac Riddle
	Castro Jackson Ritter
	Chisum Johnson Rodriguez
	Christian Keffer Schwertner
	Coleman King of Parker Scott
	Cook King of Taylor Sheets
	Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield
	Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton
	Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson
	Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris
	Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant
	J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee
	S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons
	Deshotel Lavender Strama
	Driver Legler Taylor of Collin
	Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston
	Dutton Lozano Thompson
	Eiland Lucio III Torres
	Eissler Lyne Truitt
	Elkins Madden Turner
	Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
	Farrar Margo Villarreal
	Fletcher Marquez Vo
	Flynn Martinez Walle
	Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber
	Gallego McClendon White
	Garza Menendez Woolley
	Geren Miles Workman
	Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler
	Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 979 was adopted by the House on March
	23, 2011, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House