LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending Fire Chief Roger R. Sabia upon the
occasion of his retirement after 40 years of dedicated service to the
City of Rome's Bureau of Fire

WHEREAS, Citizens across our State and Nation are inspired by and
indebted to our valiant firefighters who exhibit courage and bravery
every day in the course of their duties; and
WHEREAS, 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, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend
Fire Chief Roger R. Sabia upon the occasion of his retirement after 40
years of dedicated service to the City of Rome's Bureau of Fire; and
WHEREAS, On March 27, 2009, Roger R. Sabia will step down as Fire
Chief, a position he has proudly held since 1999, leaving behind an
extraordinary legacy of exemplary leadership and guidance; and
WHEREAS, Throughout his 40-year career, Fire Chief Roger R. Sabia
compiled an impressive list of achievements and accomplishments; he
continuously displayed an unwavering commitment to training his fire-
fighters, but most importantly he had a caring concern for each individ-
ual who served in the department; and
WHEREAS, With him throughout have been his wife, Betty, their son,
Canio, their daughter, Bettina, and her husband, Marc, as well as their
grandchildren, Aliana and Gianna, all of whom feel privileged to be a
part of his life and rejoice in his achievements; and
WHEREAS, The firefighters of New York State are renowned throughout
the Nation; their reputation is synonymous with excellence in the ardu-
ous field of fire protection and prevention; and
WHEREAS, Since the early days of "teapot steamers," firefighters have
been the cornerstone of our great Nation's efforts to spare us from the
ravages of fire; and
WHEREAS, Firefighters and fire departments not only provide the crit-
ical service of fire protection but also engage in other activities of
great benefit and importance to the communities they serve; 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; Fire
Chief Roger R. Sabia is such a firefighter; throughout his 40 years of
devoted service, he 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
commend Fire Chief Roger R. Sabia upon the occasion of his retirement
after 40 years of dedicated service to the City of Rome's Bureau of
Fire; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Fire Chief Roger R. Sabia.