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91_HR0166
LRB9106397KBkb
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives wish to congratulate Tom Nicolay, recipient
4 of the Robert Stipp Award for Lifetime Achievement, presented
5 by the Illinois EMT Association; and
6 WHEREAS, Tom Nicolay began working with the Sandoval Fire
7 Department in 1959; Mr. Nicolay was one of the first people
8 to enroll in an EMT class in Southern Illinois; Dr. Goff
9 Thompson at Good Samaritan Hospital in Mt. Vernon taught that
10 first class in 1972, and Tom Nicolay was there; by 1975 the
11 Sandoval Fire Department was responsible for pre-hospital
12 care in their area; and
13 WHEREAS, Under Mr. Nicolay's direction, each member of
14 the fire department was required to obtain their EMT license
15 and continuing education; Mr. Nicolay went on to enroll in
16 the first Emergency Rescue Technician Instructors Program,
17 and then taught the same course throughout Southern Illinois;
18 he taught CPR courses, wrote a monthly newsletter, and pushed
19 for legislation that allowed EMTs to use automatic external
20 defibrillators; and
21 WHEREAS, The Sandoval Fire Department under his direction
22 sponsored both Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, holiday food
23 baskets, toy collections for the needy, visits by Santa
24 Claus, aiding in the Salvation Army in their annual bell
25 ringing collections, building parade floats, school
26 educational tours and visits, and helping setup convalescent
27 equipment for residents of the area; the Department also
28 stages "Prom Night Crash Simulations" for high school
29 students to remind them of the dangers of drinking and
30 driving; all of this work is accomplished through funds
31 raised by the annual Fireman's Picnic; and
32 WHEREAS, Tom Nicolay's family has continued the
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1 tradition; two of his daughters, two son-in-laws, four
2 grandchildren, and a granddaughter-in-law have completed or
3 are enrolled in the EMT program; his oldest daughter serves
4 as an EMT instructor; and
5 WHEREAS, Tom Nicolay has also served as a Deputy Coroner,
6 and as Marion County Coroner since 1996; he is a certified
7 Medico-Legal Death Examiner; he served on the Marion County
8 911 Board until his retirement; he is a United States Navy
9 Veteran; he is past president of the Egyptian Firefighters
10 Association; past treasurer of the Sandoval Fire Protection
11 District Board of Trustees; a former member of the Sandoval
12 School Board; a member of the Sandoval United Methodist
13 Church; a member of the Masonic Lodge; and vice president of
14 the Centralia Shrine Club; he was also active in the Sandoval
15 Lions Club and Toastmasters; and
16 WHEREAS, Tom Nicolay was honored by Governor Jim Thompson
17 in 1990 when he was appointed to the Firefighting Medal of
18 Honor Commission; and
19 WHEREAS, Tom Nicolay retired in July of 1998, but renewed
20 his EMT license for another four years, prepared for any
21 emergency; therefore, be it
22 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
23 NINETY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
24 we congratulate Tom Nicolay on his work with the Sandoval
25 Fire Department; we congratulate him on receiving the Robert
26 Stipp Award for Lifetime Achievement; and be it further
27 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
28 presented to Tom Nicolay, along with our sincere regards.