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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Members of the Arlington Fire Department TIFMAS |
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strike team demonstrated exceptional commitment and bravery by |
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helping to battle wildfires in California in September and October |
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of 2020; and |
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WHEREAS, The Arlington unit was formed in 2011 as part of the |
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Texas Interstate Fire Mutual Aid System, a state-funded regional |
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deployment initiative established to fight large-scale wildfires; |
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the North Texas TIFMAS contingent sent to California included |
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personnel from the Fort Worth and Flower Mound Fire Departments, |
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and the Arlington FD was represented by strike team leaders Chris |
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Balough and Jeff Durand, engine bosses Shawn Corder and Brandon |
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Reynolds, and firefighters Joseph Markham, Danny Martin, David |
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Oliver, and Ryan King; and |
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WHEREAS, Deployed for more than three weeks, the team |
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traveled over 6,000 miles in assisting California firefighters |
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during the state's worst wildfire season on record; the unit was |
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assigned to the August Complex Fire in Northern California, near |
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Ukiah, and employed five brush trucks and a strike team leader |
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vehicle in battling the massive blaze; assignments included |
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patrolling fire lines, extinguishing hotspots, laying hose lines, |
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and setting backfires to burn vegetation in front of advancing |
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flames; and |
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WHEREAS, In answering the call of duty during this |
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catastrophic crisis, the members of the Arlington Fire Department |
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TIFMAS strike team risked their own safety to protect and serve |
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their fellow Americans, and they have earned the profound |
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admiration of their community and state; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commend the Arlington Fire Department TIFMAS |
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strike team for its outstanding service during the recent wildfires |
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in California and extend to its members sincere best wishes for the |
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future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the firefighters as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |