LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Harris
Hill Fire Company, Clarence, New York

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is proud to commemorate the 75th Anniver-
sary of the Harris Hill Fire Company, and to honor its past and present
firefighting members for 75 years of fire protection to the citizens of
Clarence and its surrounding communities; and
WHEREAS, The Harris Hill Fire Company was founded in 1937 to provide
fire protection to those who lived in the Harris Hill Garden area; John
H. Farrell was named president, and Nelson Irons was the first chief;
and
WHEREAS, Meetings were held in the schoolhouse on Harris Hill Road;
the first piece of apparatus was a Studebaker, and a siren was installed
atop Dadswell's gas station to alert firefighters to emergency calls;
and
WHEREAS, The district has grown from a little bedroom community to one
that encompasses large businesses, including Eastern Hills Mall, Home
Depot and Walmart; and
WHEREAS, With a stretch of the Transit Road corridor in its district,
Harris Hill Fire Company protects one of the largest commercial areas in
Western New York; and
WHEREAS, Today, the Harris Hill Fire Company now provides emergency
medical services, ice water rescue and other help in addition to
protection; a new facility replaced the small fire station in 2006 and
it was among the first fire company facilities in the area to be
LEED-certified as a green building; and
WHEREAS, When the fire company was founded, hip boots, orange rubber
gloves, a rubber raincoat and a metal helmet made up a firefighter's
gear; now the equipment is much more sophisticated, with high-tech air
packs, fire resistant clothing and additional protective elements; and
WHEREAS, With a membership of approximately 60 members, the Harris
Hill Fire Company provides fire prevention presentations to schools and
gives education tours to Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and others; and
WHEREAS, Fire departments are an integral part of community protection
services in every locality of our State; during the past 75 years, the
courageous and devoted firefighters of the Harris Hill Fire Company have
valiantly responded to all types of fire emergencies and have won the
praise and respect of the community which they serve; and
WHEREAS, With a membership of dedicated firefighters, the record of
the Harris Hill Fire Company in public service and fire protection is
one to be envied; for 24 hours a day, for 365 days a year, for 75 years,
whenever the alarm sounded, these noble volunteers left their homes and
went to the aid of their neighbors; and
WHEREAS, The brave firefighters of the Harris Hill Fire Company are
prepared to risk their lives every day to help save the lives of others
and to protect homes and property from the destruction caused by fire;
and
WHEREAS, In addition to the skill and devoted service demonstrated by
individual firefighters, the Harris Hill Fire Company reflects the
history and development of firefighting over the past 75 years; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body cannot express sufficient gratitude to
those devoted individuals who recognize that the preservation of life
and property is a sacred responsibility and who make that responsibility
their own by serving as firefighters; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that we should give
special recognition to those who work so assiduously for the betterment
of their communities, and acknowledge publicly the heroic good works

performed by the volunteer fire departments of this great Empire State,
their officers and auxiliaries; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
proudly commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Harris Hill Fire Compa-
ny; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Harris Hill Fire Company, Clarence, New York.