HR0945

LRB094 19591 HSS 55786 r






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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The Canton Fire Department celebrated its 100th 
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anniversary with an open house on Saturday and Sunday, February 
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4 and 5, 2006; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Canton's first volunteer fire department was 
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formed in 1846 with around 50 men; firefighting tactics 
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consisted of using huge poles with hooks attached to pull down 
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the walls of burning buildings to prevent the spread of fire; a 
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bucket brigade also was used when it was thought to be 
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effective in dousing a fire; and

 
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    WHEREAS, After a major fire in 1868, the city council 
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passed an ordinance to establish a fire department;  in October 
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of that year, the department purchased a fire engine and hose 
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reel; the city council later voted to erect a building to house 
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fire equipment and provide for a jail and council rooms; 
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construction was completed in 1869; and

 
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    WHEREAS, When fire apparatus was first acquired, it was 
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hand-drawn; later it was powered by horses; the volunteer fire 
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department did not own horses, but contracted with individuals 
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to furnish horses to pull the equipment; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In 1906, Canton officials decided full-time, 
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professional fire protection was needed and on February 19, 
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1906, the first paid fire department was organized; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Today, firefighters work in a 3-platoon system, 
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with 24 hours on and 48 hours off, averaging a 56-hour work 
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week; the department has staffed five persons per shift since 
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1974; and
 
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    WHEREAS, The department is technologically up-to-date and 
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uses thermal imaging devices that detect objects of varying 
 


 






HR0945
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LRB094 19591 HSS 55786 r




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temperatures, helping firefighters find victims through heavy 
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smoke and enabling them to note hot spots while fighting a 
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fire; the department's pumper trucks are computerized and 
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personal protective equipment is modernized; and
 
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    WHEREAS, In the late 1970s, firefighters began to provide 
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emergency medical services and today, EMS accounts for 
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two-thirds of alarms received in a year; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
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we congratulate the Canton Fire Department on the occasion of 
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its 100th anniversary; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to the Canton Fire Department as an expression of our 
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esteem.