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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives are pleased to congratulate Chief Brad Smith on 
4the occasion of his retirement after many years of service with 
5the Oswego Fire Department; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, In 1950, Brad Smith moved with his parents to 
7Oswego from the northern suburbs of Chicago; after graduating 
8from Oswego High School in 1955, he went to college briefly 
9before joining the United States Marine Corps; after returning 
10home from the service in 1958, he took a job with the grain 
11elevator that operated at Van Buren and South Adams streets in 
12downtown Oswego; and
  
 
13    WHEREAS, In 1965, Chief Brad Smith helped to put out a 
14fiery blaze that destroyed the old Zentmyer Ford dealership at 
15Main and Jackson Streets in Oswego's downtown area; he began 
16his career with the Oswego Fire Department the following year; 
17he steadily worked his way up through the ranks of the fire 
18protection district, achieving the ranks of lieutenant and 
19assistant chief before becoming fire chief; and
  
 
20    WHEREAS, Since becoming chief of the Oswego Fire Department 
21in 1994, Brad Smith has overseen the transformation of the 
22department from a mostly-volunteer staff working out of a 
 
 
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1single station on Main Street in downtown Oswego to a 
2professional department that is staffed by 57 full-time, 
3professionally-trained paramedic firefighters who work out of 
4four stations, including two stations in Oswego and one each in 
5Montgomery and Plainfield; and

  
 
6    WHEREAS, Brad Smith serves as a model of hard work, 
7integrity, and dedication for the people of the State of 
8Illinois; therefore, be it
  
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
10NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
11we congratulate Brad Smith on the occasion of his retirement 
12and wish him many happy and healthy retirement years; and be it 
13further
  
 
14    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
15presented to Brad Smith as a symbol of our esteem and respect.