HR1056 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1056 LRB097 21512 KXB 69612 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Odin Firefighter Christopher Pratt on receiving the Medal of Honor, the highest award given to firefighters by the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, He was one of 4 firefighters to receive the award on May 10, 2012, during the 19th annual Illinois Fallen Firefighters Memorial and Firefighting Medal of Honors Ceremony in Springfield; and

WHEREAS, He was presented the award for his actions last December in the dramatic rescue of a 4-year-old boy from a burning car; and

WHEREAS, Kerri Anne Hall was taking her son, Jace Westbrook, to daycare when her 2005 Nissan Pathfinder skidded on wet pavement, hit a culvert, went airborne, crashed into a tree, and burst into flames; Christopher was on his way to work as the manager of New Metal Fabricators in Centralia when he drove up on the wreck; and

WHEREAS, He had no firefighting gear with him, but preceded to break out a side window on the car and attempted to grab young Jace; the buckle on the child restraint seat was melted and would not release so he used a razor knife to cut the safety belt and pulled the boy to safety; and

WHEREAS, The legs of the child's pajama bottoms were on fire, so he patted out the flames and went back to rescue the mother; unfortunately, the gas tank exploded, preventing her rescue; Jace has since recovered from burns to 25% of his body; Firefighter Pratt sustained second-degree burns to his hands and lost a patch of hair from his head; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Firefighter Christopher Pratt on receiving the Medal of Honor, and thank him for his courage in saving a life; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Firefighter Christopher Pratt as a symbol of our respect and esteem.