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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 670 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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;
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;
Whereas the 891,000 emergency medical professionals in the United States respond 
        to and treat a variety of life-threatening 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 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
    Resolved, That the Senate designates September 25, 2008, as 
``National First Responder Appreciation Day'' to honor and celebrate 
the contributions and sacrifices made by all first responders in the 
United States.
                                 <all>
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