Assembly Resolution No. 285

BY: M. of A. Simpson

HONORING Bill Houck upon the occasion of his
designation for special recognition after 50 years
of dedicated service to the Horicon Volunteer Fire
Company

WHEREAS, Citizens across our State and Nation are inspired by and
indebted to our noble volunteer firefighters who exhibit courage and
bravery every day in the course of their duties; and

WHEREAS, Volunteer firefighters exemplify the power of human
compassion and the strength of the American spirit through actions of
the most heroic magnitude; their sacrifices and their selfless
dedication merit tribute and recognition by all citizens of this great
country; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Bill Houck
upon the occasion of his designation for special recognition after 50
years of dedicated service to the Horicon Volunteer Fire Company; and

WHEREAS, Born in Chittenango, New York, in 1943, Bill Houck proudly
served his country as a Surveyor in the United States Army in Iran
during the Vietnam conflict from 1965-1966; and

WHEREAS, Bill Houck moved to Brant Lake, New York, and joined the
Horicon Volunteer Fire Company in December of 1970, making his first
call in 1971; throughout his five decades of service, he has responded
to approximately 4,000 calls; and

WHEREAS, Always ready and willing to lend a helping hand and share
his knowledge, Bill Houck mentored many young firefighters, teaching
them about pumps, how to tie knots, about brush fires, and how to obey
the speed limit; and

WHEREAS, Bill Houck also organized historical Company documents,
served on the Horicon Fire Department Board of Directors for 25 years
and used his masonry skills to help build the Adirondack Firehouse and
many construction projects at the Brant Lake Firehouse; and

WHEREAS, In addition to his work with the Fire Company, Bill Houck
served the Horicon and Hague community from 1970-1998 as a forest
ranger; throughout his tenure, he responded to hundreds of Adirondack
searches, rescues, and forest fires, and answered the call as part of a
ranger team fighting fires in Idaho, California, Wisconsin and Montana;
today, he is a member of the board of the Forest Ranger Scholarship
Fund; and

WHEREAS, Bill Houck was also a certified teacher with the New York
State trapper training program, teaching and mentoring many people as
they earned their trapping and hunting licenses; and

WHEREAS, With him throughout have been his wife, Joyce; their two
sons, Russell and Roger (Melanie); and three grandchildren, Hannah,
Clara and Lydia; as well as Michael Sallach, who is like a son to him;

all of them truly feel privileged to be a part of his life and rejoice
in his achievements; and

WHEREAS, Firefighters unwaveringly serve our great State with pride,
valor, and integrity; these respected volunteers are often the first to
respond to an emergency, whether the emergency is a fire, transportation
accident, natural disaster, act of terrorism, medical crisis, or spill
of hazardous materials; and

WHEREAS, It takes a special dedication, a strong desire to help
others and a tireless sense of community to forsake precious time with
family and friends to respond to the signal that a neighbor is in need;
Bill Houck is one such firefighter; throughout 50 years of devoted
service, this volunteer heroically performed, above and beyond the call
of duty, those responsibilities which define the task of fire
protection; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Bill Houck upon the occasion of his designation for special
recognition after 50 years of dedicated service to the Horicon Volunteer
Fire Company; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Bill Houck.