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HR0168 |
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LRB094 10898 CSA 41449 r |
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The Galena Fire Department, the oldest fire |
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| department in Illinois, celebrated its 175th birthday on |
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| February 1, 2005; and
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| WHEREAS, The Department is planning a series of events in |
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| August to celebrate the anniversary; and
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| WHEREAS, The Galena Fire and Protection Company was formed |
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| in 1830; since its inception, it has gone from a company with |
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| just a couple of fire hooks, ladders, axes, and buckets to the |
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| department it is now; and
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| WHEREAS, On November 8, 1836, the first fire department was |
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| organized with a roll of 66 members; from then on, there came |
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| to be several different fire departments throughout Galena; and
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| WHEREAS, On August 1, 1876, John Hellman was made chief |
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| director of all the fire stations in Galena; all five of these |
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| fire stations were made into what is now known as the "Fabulous |
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| Five"; and
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| WHEREAS, The Galena Fire Department became a mechanized |
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| force in 1917; the era of the "Fabulous Five" was closed in |
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| 1935 and reorganized into the present fire department on South |
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| Bench Street; and
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| WHEREAS, The Galena Fire Department has what is believed to |
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| be the oldest fire station in the State; it was built in an |
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| Italianate style; it has an overhung roof, corbels, and a watch |
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| tower; an antique fire engine is showcased within the fire |
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| station, the "Liberty", a hand pumper that arrived on January |
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| 5, 1855, from Philadelphia; the Liberty helped the Galena Fire |
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| Department for more than 50 years and is presently being |
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| restored; therefore, be it
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