HR0661 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0661 LRB094 14764 AJO 49745 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Hickory Point Fire Protection District, which celebrates its 50th anniversary on October 15, 2005, serves the Village of Forsyth, Hickory Point Township, and portions of Decatur; and

WHEREAS, The passage of a referendum in May 1953, created the Hickory Point Fire Protection District; following the election, the Macon County Circuit Court appointed the District's first trustees, Hoyt Coverstone, Edward Drobisch, and A.D. Tillman; and

WHEREAS, The Hickory Point District had humble beginnings; in the first year, the District's tax revenue was $1,600; the next year, its tax revenues were cut in half because some land owners successfully petitioned the court to withdraw from the District; since Hickory Point could not afford a fire truck, it contracted with nearby fire protection districts to provide service for its territory; and

WHEREAS, After Caterpillar opened a plant within the Hickory Point District, tax revenues increased and met the District's needs; the assessed valuation of property in the District quickly grew from $1.6 million in the first year to $16.6 million in 1955; with the increased tax revenue, the Board purchased a fire truck for $10,000; and

WHEREAS, Since the District did not have a firehouse in 1955, Everett "Bud" Hinkle garaged the fire truck; Bud notified the 25 firefighters of an alarm in the only way he could, he blared the siren as he drove, picking up volunteer firefighters on the way to the fire; and

WHEREAS, In 1971, the Hickory Point firefighters responded to about 30 fire calls per year; today, the Department has 28 firefighters who respond to over 350 fire or medical emergency calls per year; and

WHEREAS, From the days of one fire truck and only a siren to notify volunteer firefighters, Hickory Point so progressed that it now owns nine fire and rescue vehicles and now reaches firefighters with radios, pagers, and cell phones; and

WHEREAS, The Hickory Point Fire Department proudly serves 4500 people in residential areas and on farms; additionally, the District has the responsibility to render emergency assistance to the employees and customers at the Hickory Point Mall, home centers, motels, restaurants, theaters, and a petroleum storage facility and truck terminal; and

WHEREAS, The Fire Department provides 5 important services: firefighting; hazardous material response; advanced life support emergency medical service, vehicle rescue (extrication), and search and rescue; and

WHEREAS, Hickory Point presents an elementary school fire and safety program each year in Forsyth; the Department's cadet program helps high school students explore fire service careers, partake in selected firefighter training, and provide limited support to firefighters or EMTs on emergency calls; and

WHEREAS, The Hickory Point Fire Protection District will honor its history, the selfless service and bravery of its firefighters and firefighters/EMTs, and all former District trustees at an Open House at the Hickory Point Fire Station and at the annual dinner sponsored by the Hickory Point Volunteer Firefighters, on October 15, 2005; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the Hickory Point Fire Protection District and the Hickory Point Volunteer Firefighters on the District's 50th anniversary, and we thank the District and the firefighters for their tireless devotion to the emergency, fire, medical, and safety needs of the Forsyth and Hickory Point communities during the last five decades; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Hickory Point Fire Protection District as an expression of our esteem.