| |||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| ||||||
2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | ||||||
3 | Representatives are pleased to congratulate Washington Fire | ||||||
4 | Chief Michael R. Vaughn on the occasion of being awarded the | ||||||
5 | Medal of Valor Award from the Office of the Illinois State Fire | ||||||
6 | Marshal; and
| ||||||
7 | WHEREAS, The Medal of Valor award is given by the State of | ||||||
8 | Illinois to a firefighter for an act of heroism or bravery that | ||||||
9 | clearly demonstrated courage and dedication in the face of | ||||||
10 | danger while in the performance of duty; and
| ||||||
11 | WHEREAS, Michael Vaughn's fire service career spans over 30 | ||||||
12 | years beginning in 1982, when he became a member of the | ||||||
13 | Washington Rescue Squad; and
| ||||||
14 | WHEREAS, In 1984, Michael Vaughn entered service for the | ||||||
15 | East Peoria Fire Department, serving as a Lieutenant, Assistant | ||||||
16 | Chief, and then Fire Chief for East Peoria for 3 years; and
| ||||||
17 | WHEREAS, On August 1, 2008, Michael Vaughn returned to the | ||||||
18 | City of Washington to serve as the city's first full-time Fire | ||||||
19 | Chief; and
| ||||||
20 | WHEREAS, The firefighters of the Washington Fire |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | Department recommended that Michael Vaughn be honored for the | ||||||
2 | bravery and heroism he demonstrated on the morning of November | ||||||
3 | 17, 2013, when the town of Washington, alongside other central | ||||||
4 | Illinois communities, was struck by an EF4 tornado; and
| ||||||
5 | WHEREAS, Earlier that morning, before the tornado's | ||||||
6 | arrival, Michael Vaughn was already preparing for the worst, | ||||||
7 | messaging his firefighters to be on the alert and ready to | ||||||
8 | respond; and
| ||||||
9 | WHEREAS, As the storm entered his city, Michael Vaughn, | ||||||
10 | husband to Theresa Vaughn and father of three boys, left his | ||||||
11 | home and raced towards the path of the tornado in a vehicle | ||||||
12 | with lights and sirens to alert his community of the coming | ||||||
13 | danger, including the occupants of Washington Middle school, | ||||||
14 | the members of the Connect Church holding service there, and | ||||||
15 | the congregation of the Crossroads Church; and | ||||||
16 | WHEREAS, During Michael Vaughn's efforts to alert his | ||||||
17 | community, he placed himself in great peril within the reach of | ||||||
18 | the tornado's destructive winds, narrowly escaping with his | ||||||
19 | life; and
| ||||||
20 | WHEREAS, It is not possible to determine the lives saved by | ||||||
21 | Michael Vaughn's selfless actions on the day of November 17, | ||||||
22 | 2013, but he will remain a hero to the citizens of the City of |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | Washington, with or without an honor; therefore, be it
| ||||||
2 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | ||||||
3 | NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
4 | we commend Chief Michael R. Vaughn for his heroic actions, | ||||||
5 | thank him for his service, and congratulate him on receiving | ||||||
6 | the Medal of Valor; and be it further
| ||||||
7 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
8 | presented to Michael Vaughn as a symbol of our respect and | ||||||
9 | esteem.
|