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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, All Americans are mourning the tragic loss of 19 |
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brave men from the Prescott Fire Department's Granite Mountain |
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Hotshots, who died on June 30, 2013, while battling the 2,000-acre |
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Yarnell Hill fire northwest of Phoenix, Arizona; and |
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WHEREAS, Members of an elite squad working on the front lines |
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to protect lives and homes, these courageous firefighters were |
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trained to be on the ground for up to 21 days without a break, and to |
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race into fire carrying 40 pounds of gear in an effort to keep the |
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flames from spreading by digging deep trenches and clearing the |
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ground of potential fuel; they met strict standards of physical |
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fitness in order to be able to conduct operations under difficult |
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conditions, often in roadless terrain; the only "hotshot" crew in |
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the country organized through a city fire department, the group |
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joined the battle against the Yarnell Hill fire after having spent |
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weeks helping to contain fires in New Mexico and on the outskirts of |
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Prescott; and |
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WHEREAS, The firefighters who perished were Andrew Ashcraft, |
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Robert Caldwell, Travis Carter, Dustin Deford, Christopher |
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MacKenzie, Grant McKee, Sean Misner, Scott Norris, Wade Parker, |
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John Percin, Anthony Rose, Jesse Steed, Joe Thurston, Travis |
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Turbyfill, William Warneke, Clayton Whitted, Kevin Woyjeck, Garret |
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Zuppiger, and unit superintendent Eric Marsh; Brendan McDonough, |
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the 20th member of the team, was positioned at a lookout point and |
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radioed to alert the others to a sudden change in wind direction |
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just before catastrophe struck; he survives to carry on their |
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memory; and |
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WHEREAS, Selflessly dedicated to the safety and well-being of |
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their fellow citizens, 19 Americans gave their lives in the line of |
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duty, and their sacrifice is a solemn reminder of the perils faced |
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by all firefighters and the immeasurable debt we owe to the heroes |
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who answer this noble calling; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature, 2nd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the lives of |
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the 19 men of the Granite Mountain Hotshots killed in the Yarnell |
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Hill fire and extend deepest condolences to their loved ones, their |
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colleagues, and their community; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the Prescott Fire Department and that when the Texas |
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House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of |
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the firefighters lost in the Yarnell Hill fire. |