093_HR0233 LRB093 11567 HSS 14921 r 1 HOUSE RESOLUTION 2 WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of 3 the State of Illinois wish to congratulate Arthur Barnings on 4 the occasion of his retirement as a trustee from the Homer 5 Township Fire Protection District on May 1, 2003; and 6 WHEREAS, Mr. Barnings started in the Chicago Fire 7 Department in 1957 and retired in 1987 as deputy fire chief; 8 he was appointed as a Homer Township trustee in 1989 and 9 appointed Homer Fire Protection District trustee in 1991; and 10 WHEREAS, During his time as trustee, the Fire Protection 11 District went from one person on duty 24 hours a day and a 12 total of 18 firefighters to nine firefighter paramedics on 13 duty 24 hours a day, a full-time Public Education and Fire 14 Prevention Bureau, and 86 firefighters; and 15 WHEREAS, Two new fire stations were built, and the main 16 station was remodeled; new ambulances, fire equipment, and 17 state-of-the-art safety equipment were purchased; and 18 WHEREAS, Mr. Barnings believes that education and 19 prevention are the most important things a fire department 20 can offer its citizens; the district has become a 21 well-educated, equipped, and progressive fire protection 22 district; therefore, be it 23 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 24 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 25 we congratulate Arthur Barnings on the occasion of his 26 retirement as a trustee for the Homer Township Fire 27 Protection District after 46 years of fire service to the 28 people of Homer Township and Chicago; and be it further 29 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 30 presented to Arthur Barnings as a token of our respect and 31 esteem.