HR0202 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0202 LRB102 17975 MST 24735 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Commissioner Richard C. Ford II on the occasion of his retirement from the Chicago Fire Department (CFD) after over 35 years of service; and

WHEREAS, Commissioner Ford was named as Fire Commissioner in September of 2018 by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and has been in charge of over 4800 sworn members and an annual budget of over $578 million; and

WHEREAS, After promotion through the ranks to Battalion Chief and before his appointment as Fire Commissioner, Commissioner Ford served as 1st Deputy Fire Commissioner, the department's Safety Officer, the Rail Transit Liaison for the City of Chicago and the Chicago Transit Authority, Assistant Director of Training for the CFD, Deputy District Chief, and Deputy Fire Commissioner of the CFD's Fire Prevention Bureau; and

WHEREAS, Commissioner Ford is a graduate of Southern Illinois University; he holds various professional certifications and numerous specialized training certifications; and

WHEREAS, Commissioner Ford has passed along skills, knowledge, and abilities to fire service members in the United States and abroad; he has been faithfully committed to mentoring new firefighters and paramedics and to promoting the advantages of continuing education and obtaining professional certifications; he has developed and implemented a number of fire service initiatives and training programs; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Commissioner Richard C. Ford II on the occasion of his retirement from the Chicago Fire Department after over 35 years of service, and we wish him the best in all his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Commissioner Ford as a symbol of our respect and esteem.