Senate Resolution No. 1280

BY: Senator GRIFFO

CONGRATULATING Chief Daniel Schwertfeger upon the
occasion of his retirement after 45 years of
distinguished service to the Floyd Fire Department

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

WHEREAS, The firefighters of New York State are renowned throughout
the Nation; their reputation is synonymous with excellence in the
arduous field of fire protection and prevention; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to congratulate Chief
Daniel Schwertfeger upon the occasion of his retirement after 45 years
of distinguished service to the Floyd Fire Department; and

WHEREAS, Daniel Schwertfeger began his illustrious career as a
firefighter with the Floyd Fire Department in 1975, following in the
footsteps of his father, Herman Schwertfeger, who also served as Chief
of Department; he was promoted to Chief in 1985, the esteemed position
from which he officially retired on Thursday, December 31, 2020; and

WHEREAS, A true asset to his profession, Chief Daniel Schwertfeger
was instrumental in the growth of Floyd Fire Department into one of the
most respected fire service response departments in Oneida County; and

WHEREAS, During his tenure, Chief Daniel Schwertfeger replaced all
of his response fleet, designed and assisted in the building of a
multi-million dollar addition to an aging fire station and built a
two-story maze training facility on the grounds of the Floyd Fire
Department which continues to be used by other local fire departments,
state instructors and New York State Association of Fire Chiefs (NYSAFC)
in the training of volunteers; and

WHEREAS, In Oneida County, Chief Daniel Schwertfeger was appointed
as a Deputy Fire Coordinator (DFC), a position he held with pride and
determination to assist his zone fire chiefs and to meet the demands of
the increased training and response criteria; and

WHEREAS, In addition, Chief Daniel Schwertfeger created a training
committee within his zone to repair and redesign the Northern Oneida
County Fire Training Center in Remsen, New York; this premier training
site is now used by every department in the North Country as well as
some departments from neighboring counties; and

WHEREAS, With a steadfast and unwavering commitment to his community
and the Floyd Fire Department, Chief Daniel Schwertfeger has mentored
countless volunteers, supporting them not only as firefighters, but also
in their careers; he truly treated his firemen as family, often sending
packages to those serving our country or even inviting them to gather
around his table for Thanksgiving; and

WHEREAS, Throughout his career, which spanned more than four
decades, Chief Daniel Schwertfeger put his life on the line in an effort
to protect the safety of others, always working diligently to protect
his community and its residents from fire and other dangers; and

WHEREAS, In his official acts, Chief Daniel Schwertfeger was
governed by a keen sense of duty and always showed a unique grasp of
human problems, truly earning the admiration, esteem and affection of
his colleagues; and

WHEREAS, With him throughout have been his wife, Betsy, and their
two amazing daughters and their families, all of whom feel privileged to
be a part of his life and rejoice in his many achievements; 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;
Daniel Schwertfeger was such a firefighter; throughout his 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
congratulate Chief Daniel Schwertfeger upon the occasion of his
retirement after 45 years of distinguished service to the Floyd Fire
Department, recognizing the significant, positive impact he has had on
his community and the safety of its residents; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Chief Daniel Schwertfeger.