III 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 670 

Designating September 25, 2008, as ‘‘National First Responder Appreciation 

Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 22 (legislative day, SEPTEMBER 17), 2008 

Mr. ALLARD (for himself, Mr. CASEY, Mr. AKAKA, Mr. BENNETT, Mr. 

BROWN, Mr. CHAMBLISS, Mrs. CLINTON, Mr. COLEMAN, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. 

DOMENICI, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. ENZI, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mrs. HUTCHISON, 

Mr. INHOFE, Mr. KENNEDY, Ms. LANDRIEU, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. LEVIN, 

Mr. LIEBERMAN, Ms. MIKULSKI, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. PRYOR, Mr. ROCKEFELLER, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. SCHUMER, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. STEVENS, 

Mr. VOINOVICH, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. WICKER, Ms. MURKOWSKI, Mr. 

BARRASSO, and Mr. MENENDEZ) submitted the following resolution; 

which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating September 25, 2008, as ‘‘National First 

Responder Appreciation Day’’. 

Whereas millions of Americans have benefitted from the courageous service of first responders across the United 

States; 

Whereas the police, fire, emergency medical service, and public health personnel (commonly known as ‘‘first responders’’) work devotedly and selflessly on behalf of the people of the United States, regardless of the peril or hazard 

to themselves; 


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•SRES 670 ATS 

Whereas in emergency situations, first responders carry out 

the critical role of protecting and ensuring public safety; 

Whereas the men and women who bravely serve as first responders have found themselves on the front lines of 

homeland defense in the war against terrorism; 

Whereas first responders are called upon in the event of a 

natural disaster, such as the tornados in Florida and the 

blizzard in Colorado in December 2006, the flooding in 

the Northeast in April 2007, the flooding in the Midwest 

in June 2008, and the wildfires in the West in July 

2008; 

Whereas the critical role of first responders was witnessed in 

the aftermath of the mass shooting at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, when the collaborative effort of police officers, firefighters, and emergency 

medical technicians to secure the campus, rescue students 

from danger, treat the injured, and transport victims to 

local hospitals undoubtedly saved the lives of many students and faculty; 

Whereas 900,000 police officers, 1,100,000 firefighters, and 

891,000 emergency medical technicians risk their lives 

every day to make our communities safe; 

Whereas these 900,000 sworn police officers from Federal, 

State, tribal, city, and county law enforcement agencies 

protect lives and property, detect and prevent crimes, uphold the law, and ensure justice; 

Whereas these 1,100,000 firefighters, both volunteer and career, provide fire suppression, emergency medical services, search and rescue, hazardous materials response, response to terrorism, and critical fire prevention and safety education; 


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Whereas the 891,000 emergency medical professionals in the 

United States respond to and treat a variety of lifethreatening emergencies, from cardiac and respiratory arrest to traumatic injuries; 

Whereas these 2,661,000 ‘‘first responders’’ make personal 

sacrifices to protect our communities, as was witnessed 

on September 11, 2001, and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and as is witnessed every day in cities and 

towns across the United States; 

Whereas, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, a total of 1,671 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty during the past 10 years, 

an average of 1 death every 53 hours or 167 per year, 

and 181 law enforcement officers were killed in 2007; 

Whereas, according to the United States Fire Administration, 

from 1996 through 2005 over 1500 firefighters were 

killed in the line of duty, and tens of thousands were injured; 

Whereas 4 in 5 medics are injured on the job, more than 1 

in 2 (52 percent) have been assaulted by a patient and 

1 in 2 (50 percent) have been exposed to an infectious 

disease, and emergency medical service personnel in the 

United States have an estimated fatality rate of 12.7 per 

100,000 workers, more than twice the national average; 

Whereas most emergency medical service personnel deaths in 

the line of duty occur in ambulance accidents; 

Whereas thousands of first responders have made the ultimate sacrifice; 

Whereas, in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, firefighters, law enforcement officers, 

and emergency medical workers in the United States 


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were universally recognized for the sacrifices they made 

on that tragic day, and should be honored each year as 

these tragic events are remembered; 

Whereas there currently exists no national day to honor the 

brave men and women of the first responder community, 

who give so much of themselves for the sake of others; 

and 

Whereas these men and women by their patriotic service and 

their dedicated efforts have earned the gratitude of Congress: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate designates September 25, 

2 2008, as ‘‘National First Responder Appreciation Day’’ 

3 to honor and celebrate the contributions and sacrifices 

4 made by all first responders in the United States. 

Æ 


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