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TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE EXCEPTIONAL STANDARDS OF THE SOUTHSIDE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY OF UNION AND TO CONGRATULATE THE CHIEF AND THE FIREFIGHTERS OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR FIFTY YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF THE UNION COMMUNITY.
Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives is pleased to learn that the Southside Fire Department in Union is celebrating five decades of significant service to the citizens of Union; and
Whereas, in 1969, citizens of Union County met to express their opinions about organizing a fire district for the south side of the county; and
Whereas, the first board of directors met in 1972 and included Lloyd B. Thompson, chairman; J. Russell Weatherford, vice chairman; Roger D. Bailey, secretary and treasurer; and Buford B. Brown and W. S. Young, members; and
Whereas, that year the Southside Fire Department received the loan of a fire truck from the Civil Defense; land for a firehouse was donated by Buford Brown; and Truck #1, a military two-and-a-half-ton GMC tanker, was acquired; and
Whereas, the next year, a two-bay firehouse was constructed; a new truck was acquired; the original roster was established; and the first fire chief, John Reid, was elected; and
Whereas, by 1974, the Southside Fire Department began receiving its first fire calls, five that year, and as the district has grown, the department has answered more calls while providing community education to reduce fire danger in the district; and
Whereas, the Southside Fire Department joined the South Carolina State Firefighters' Association on August 1, 1977, and equipment was added through the years to make the department safer, stronger, and more efficient, including turnout gear, a hose wash rack, more land for parking and various other uses, a new addition to the firehouse, and many more service trucks; and
Whereas, after more than forty years since the department's first ISO (Insurance Service Office) rating, Southside received a 03/3X rating in 2015, its finest rating to date; and
Whereas, since 2001, the department has received more than three hundred twenty-five thousand dollars in grants from the AFG (Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program), and Forestry grants have provided much needed equipment worth almost fourteen thousand dollars; and
Whereas, additional funds have been donated to the Southside Fire Department from the State, from Union County, and from the City of Union, totaling over sixty thousand dollars; and
Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives takes great pleasure in celebrating with the members of the Southside Fire Department upon their golden anniversary of service. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor the exceptional standards of the Southside Fire Department in the City of Union and congratulate the chief and the firefighters of the department for fifty years of dedicated service to the citizens of the Union community.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Fire Chief Michael Lancaster of the Southside Fire Department.
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