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| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | WHEREAS, Chief Derek Bergsten has served the Rockford | ||||||
| 3 | community for the last 27 years as a member of the Rockford | ||||||
| 4 | Fire Department and since 2008 as the fire chief; and
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| 5 | WHEREAS, Chief Bergsten has supervised and promoted the | ||||||
| 6 | development and advancement of 320 uniformed firefighters and | ||||||
| 7 | ancillary service personnel who provide firefighting, | ||||||
| 8 | emergency medical service, hazardous materials response, and | ||||||
| 9 | technical rescue; and
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| 10 | WHEREAS, Chief Bergsten was recognized as the 2020 Fire | ||||||
| 11 | Chief of the Year by the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association; and
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| 12 | WHEREAS, Chief Bergsten has overseen the implementation | ||||||
| 13 | and expansion of innovative programs, including a mobile | ||||||
| 14 | integrated health program, a certified fire vehicle repair | ||||||
| 15 | shop operated by the fire department, a program that allows | ||||||
| 16 | Rockford fire personnel to transport patients experiencing a | ||||||
| 17 | mental health issue to a specialized facility instead of an | ||||||
| 18 | emergency room, and a program providing Naloxone kits and | ||||||
| 19 | training to the families of those who have overdosed; and
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| 20 | WHEREAS, Chief Bergsten made significant contributions to | ||||||
| 21 | his field by serving on the Illinois Statewide 9-1-1 Advisory | ||||||
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| 1 | Board, the Rockford Regional Health Council Board of | ||||||
| 2 | Directors, the National Fire Protection Association's | ||||||
| 3 | Committee on Public Emergency Service Communication, and the | ||||||
| 4 | Technical Expert Panel for the Veterans Health Administration | ||||||
| 5 | for Same-Day Access Measurement Services for Mental Health, | ||||||
| 6 | among many others; and
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| 7 | WHEREAS, Chief Bergsten has been a dedicated member of the | ||||||
| 8 | community and has served in many organizations, including the | ||||||
| 9 | Salvation Army, the Rosecrance Florian Program for uniformed | ||||||
| 10 | service personnel, Transform Rockford, Alignment Rockford, and | ||||||
| 11 | the Winnebago County Opioid Response Team, where he served as | ||||||
| 12 | co-chair; and
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| 13 | WHEREAS, On May 7, 2021, Chief Bergsten will end his | ||||||
| 14 | tenure as fire chief for the Rockford Fire Department; his | ||||||
| 15 | tenure is marked by his incredible leadership, which has left | ||||||
| 16 | a permanent positive mark on the Rockford community; | ||||||
| 17 | therefore, be it
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| 18 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
| 19 | HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
| 20 | we commend Chief Derek Bergsten on his many years of exemplary | ||||||
| 21 | service and dedication to the Rockford community and wish him | ||||||
| 22 | happiness and great success in his future endeavors; and be it | ||||||
| 23 | further
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| 1 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 2 | presented to Chief Bergsten as a symbol of our esteem and | ||||||
| 3 | respect.
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