Firefighter Appreciation Day

WHEREAS, firefighters are unsung heroes who are prepared to be summoned at any moment to risk their own safety to preserve lives and suppress fires; and

WHEREAS, firefighters must retain their composure in a variety of emergency situations while fulfilling requirements including connecting hoses to hydrants, operating pumps to power the hoses, climbing ladders, using tools to break through debris, entering burning buildings to extinguish a fire and rescue individuals and providing medical attention; and

WHEREAS, occasionally, firefighters may have to remain at the scene of a disaster for days on end; and

WHEREAS, firefighters usually remain on call during shifts that can last 24 hours. While at the fire station, they routinely inspect equipment and perform practice drills; and

WHEREAS, some jobs that specialized firefighters conduct include extinguishing forest fires and cleaning up hazardous materials; and

WHEREAS, the firefighting occupation has one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses; and

WHEREAS, Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire, the tragic 1871 conflagration that killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17, 4000 structures and burned more than 2, 000 acres; and

WHEREAS, the state of Alabama is greatly indebted to the valiant and hardworking paid and volunteer firefighters:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of Alabama, do hereby proclaim October 9, 2015, as

Firefighter Appreciation Day

in the state of Alabama.