HR1573 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1573 LRB095 22749 KXB 53172 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Joe Ellena on his retirement as Chief of the Standard Fire Department; and

WHEREAS, The Standard Fire Department was originally started as a village fire department after the founding of the village in 1907; Joe Ellena has been its longest serving chief; and

WHEREAS, Early in Joe Ellena's tenure as Chief, Mid-America Growers, an industry new to the area, suffered a disastrous fire, and the department was unprepared to handle the crisis; the pumper was a 1948 model, equipment was lacking, and the frustration of being forced to watch an uncontrollable fire had a great impact on Joe; and

WHEREAS, Joe began the transformation of the department from a social club to the professional organization it is today; a bar was removed from the station and the hall was no longer rented out for private events; an overhead door was installed in the rear of the building to accommodate the addition of a 3,500 gallon water tanker, which was built by the department; air packs were purchased and extensive training was completed; and

WHEREAS, Paperwork and record keeping was improved under Joe Ellena's time as Chief; the Department became heavily involved with rescue work and became the sole provider of auto, farm, and rope rescue in Putnam County; and a designated rescue squad was established; and

WHEREAS, In 1978, Joe resigned as Fire Chief in order to establish and develop a private business; Joe later returned to fill the vacancy after the departure of the previous chief; a new fire station was designed and built, more than tripling the space previously available; a third tanker was added, along with a fire engine carrying a 55-foot aerial device; the rescue squad added a hovercraft for water rescue, and a 6-wheel drive ATV for wildland fires and timber rescues; and the last of Joe's projects was the construction of a training facility available to any department; and

WHEREAS, Joe Ellena is the loving husband of Shirley; they have four children, Sheryl Sons, John (Ashley) Ellena, Janet (Steve) Cimei, and Robert (Jennifer) Ellena; they are the proud grandparents of Nathan, Aaron, Hannah, Morgan, Joseph, Spencer, Taylor, Brianna, and Gianna; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Joe Ellena for his dedication to the people of Standard and wish him the best in his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Joe Ellena as a symbol of our respect.