Bill 5163

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                    5163
Type of Legislation:            Concurrent Resolution CR
Introducing Body:               House
Introduced Date:                19980520
Primary Sponsor:                Delleney 
All Sponsors:                   Delleney 
Drafted Document Number:        pt\1974dw.98
Date Bill Passed both Bodies:   19980520
Subject:                        Barnette (Barney) Nichols,
                                Resolutions

Body    Date      Action Description                       Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  _______________________________________  _______ ____________

House   19980520  Received from Senate
Senate  19980520  Introduced, adopted, returned
                  with concurrence
House   19980520  Introduced, adopted, sent to Senate

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

TO EXTEND THE SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA TO THE CHIEF OF THE RICHBURG VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, BARNETTE (BARNEY) NICHOLS, OF CHESTER COUNTY UPON RECEIVING THE JAMES B. MURPHY SOUTH CAROLINA FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR AWARD, AN HONOR PRESENTED ANNUALLY BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA FIREMEN'S ASSOCIATION.

Whereas, the members of the General Assembly are proud to have an opportunity to acknowledge that the Chief of the Richburg Volunteer Fire Department, Barnette (Barney) Nichols, of Chester County was recently selected as the South Carolina Firefighter of the Year; and

Whereas, the State award, the premier award of the South Carolina Firemen's Association, recognizes individuals that exemplify dedication, loyalty, productivity, and professionalism in fire service; and

Whereas, folks who know Chief Nichols say he has demonstrated these qualities for years, but 1997 was an exceptional year; and

Whereas, he has been the Chief of the Richburg Volunteer Fire Department for twenty-two years; and

Whereas, on December 13-14, Chief Nichols demonstrated unusual leadership during one of the most bizarre events to ever happen in the Richburg area -- "the hostage situation on I-77". It occurred near the southbound rest area on the interstate near Exit 65, following a police chase from the Charlotte area involving a man driving a tractor trailer truck. He told police by CB radio that he was holding a hostage (his girlfriend) and also, reportedly threatened suicide. The event lasted for fourteen hours. All lanes of the interstate were closed. The SWAT team from the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) arrived on the scene, as did local law officials, the Richburg Fire Department, and both television and newspaper reporters. Fire Chief Nichols, however, kept his cool during the standoff and kept saying all night he had the resources to resolve the matter. The officials on the scene were awaiting the arrival of SLED Chief Robert Stewart. Shortly after Chief Stewart arrived, he conferred with Fire Chief Nichols and the plan was made. The clever idea was to literally flush the suspect out of his truck with water and tear gas. Fire Chief Nichols boarded the Richburg Fire Department's new pumper truck, a-state-of-the-art vehicle with a top mounted deluge gun (a high-pressure water hose, which is easy to aim and hold steady). The distraught suspect was led to believe that the fire truck was just going to wet the pavement underneath the truck to prevent a fire from fuel that was leaking from the vehicle. When he was close enough to the truck, he pointed his hose at the pavement under the truck, and then he aimed the deluge gun of the fire truck at the windows of the cab of the truck. Following the drenching, SLED agents tossed three canisters of tear gas into the cab of the truck, and the suspect could not hold out any more. The suspect surrendered and the stalemate was over. It was discovered he didn't have a hostage after all. All agreed that what Chief Nichols had done that morning was extraordinary; and

Whereas, just two weeks following the I-77 standoff, Chief Nichols managed another tense situation involving water and fire trucks at the Chester County Hospital. A small leak in an underground pipe evolved into a major line breakage. The level in the water storage tanks dropped drastically, and the water pressure fell off. Because the hospital is situated at the highest elevation in the county, the water supply at the facility was threatened. On that cold, December day, Chief Nichols spearheaded the volunteer fire department effort to keep a constant supply of water in the hospital. Under his direction, firefighters from Richburg, Lando, South Chester, and Chester hauled in tankers of water and pumped it into the hospital. Approximately 25,000 gallons of water were hauled to the hospital and 1,200 gallons of water per hour were pumped into the hospital system. Again, a crisis situation was eliminated due to Chief Barney Nichol's quick thinking; and

Whereas, he has been a dedicated and hard-working public servant for years and never seeks public recognition; and

Whereas, Barney Nichols talks modestly about the award, which will be officially presented in July. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect to receive this honor and feels it represents the work of a lot of good, dedicated firemen, not just himself; and

Whereas, his wife of forty-seven years, Jean, says she is certainly proud of her husband, but her outlook is one of modesty, too. "Barney just does what he has to do," she says; and

Whereas, as a citizen, a family man, and as Fire Chief of the Richburg Volunteer Fire Department his service to others has been his constant pursuit and in this pursuit, he has performed without equal; and

Whereas, Barnette "Barney" Nichols is highly deserving of recognition and of an expression of gratitude for all that he has accomplished and we extend to him our best wishes for the future. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the members of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina, by this resolution, extend their sincere congratulations to the Chief of the Richburg Volunteer Fire Department, Barnette (Barney) Nichols, of Chester County upon receiving the James B. Murphy South Carolina Firefighter of the Year Award, an honor presented annually by the South Carolina Firemen's Association.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Fire Chief Barnette "Barney" Nichols.