LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending the Volunteer Fire Association of
Tappan upon the occasion of dedicating a new memorial monument in honor
of its deceased members on May 25, 2009

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is proud to commend the Volunteer Fire
Association of Tappan upon the occasion of dedicating a new memorial
monument in honor of its deceased members who have served the Tappan
community during its 102 year history at a ceremony to be held on Memo-
rial Day, Monday, May 25, 2009 at the Tappan Fire House, Tappan, New
York; and
WHEREAS, These outstanding brave individuals are: Henry C. Beckwith;
William Pierce; Richard Haring; George Schmidt; James A. Ottignon, Past
Chief; Harry Messner; Adam Rechel, Jr.; George Garrecht, Sr.; John
Weber; Fred Hensel; William Wustrow; Frank W. Devoe; William Devoe;
Chris Fah; Robert W. Jones, Past Chief; Thomas Carrol; Thomas Lynch;
A.W. Burton, Past Chief; George C. Hardy; Max Gondeck; William Ihburg;
Joseph W. Kunz, Jr.; George Van Zilen, Sr.; Henry Ihburg, Past Chief;
Henry Brocher, Past Chief; John W. Bellis; Harry Post; Peter Keller,
Sr., Past Chief; William Kunz; Charles D. O'Dowd, Sr.; James D. Maines;
Peter McGillicuddy; John Gibbons; Nelson Goodsell, Past President; Henry
Baker, Past Chief; George Garrecht, Jr.; Edward Bryant; George Van
Zilen, Jr.; William Smith; Edward A. Daube; George Skinner, Sr., Past
Chief; Charles E. Holmes, Sr.; Hermann Buschmann; Conrad Kaufman; T.L.
Buckingham; David Dutcher; John Kneuer, Past President; Charles W.
Carson; Bonnard Blakeney; Edward Hauser, Sr., Past Chief; Wallace Scal-
pini; Otto Rohland; John Wamsley, Past President; Daniel Britton;
Rudolph Keller, Past Chief; James Hoyt, Jr.; Carl M. Ach; John Beiner;
August Schreiber; Edward Young; Robert H. Pforte; Fred Barretta; Percy
Ryerson; Robert I. Beasley; Norman J. Niero, Past Chief; Herman C.
Mamitsch, Past Chief; Gordon F. Noland; William Dannenberg; Charles
Hauser, Commissioner; Julius Garrecht; John Pforte; Joseph A. Holmes,
Sr., Past President; George Barretta, Past President; Irving Thomsen;
Richard J. Holihan; William J. Kuhn, Commissioner; William O. Schaefer,
Anthony C. Vitale, Past Chief; Hubert Nealy, Sr.; Alf Isaksen; Rev.
Thomas F. Murphy, Chaplain; James Sweeney, Past Chief; Henry Dietz;
Raymond Johnson, Past Chief; Arthur Kelm, Sr.; George L. Vermeulen, Past
Chief; Herbert Kuhn; Howard Messner, Past President; Donald Micky Trem-
per, Commissioner; Edward C. Hauser, Jr.; Hareld G. Blauvelt; William
Sarvis; John Stuercke; John D. Britton; George E. Leonard; Herbert C.
Rohland, Past Chief; George E. Diller; Theodore E. Weber, Past Presi-
dent; Dennis T. James; Edwyn H. Rohland, Commissioner; George Bouti-
lette; Arthur Kelm, Jr., Past Chief; Emmett C. Maines; Carl A. Schelin;
Joseph T. Hauser, Sr.; Vincent M. Marucci, Past President; Herman G.
Mamitsch; and John T. Rattigan; all of whose names will proudly be
inscribed on the memorial monument; and
WHEREAS, Fire departments are an integral part of community protection
services in every locality of our State; during the past 102 years, the
courageous and devoted firefighters of the Volunteer Fire Association of
Tappan 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 Volunteer Fire Association of Tappan in public service and fire
protection is one to be envied; for 24 hours a day, for 365 days a year,
for 102 years, whenever the alarm sounded, these noble volunteers left
their homes and went to the aid of their neighbors; and
WHEREAS, The brave firefighters, past and present, of the Volunteer
Fire Association of Tappan have been 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 Volunteer Fire Association of Tappan
reflects the history and development of firefighting over the past 102
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
commend the Volunteer Fire Association of Tappan upon the occasion of
dedicating a new memorial monument in honor of its deceased members on
May 25, 2009; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Volunteer Fire Association of Tappan.