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HRES 695 IHEH

Whereas there are more than 1,100,000 fire fighters in the United States;

Whereas approximately 75 percent of all fire fighters in the United States are volunteers who receive little or no compensation for their heroic work;

Whereas there are more than 30,000 fire departments in the United States;

Whereas thousands of fire fighters have died in the line of duty since the date that Benjamin Franklin founded the first volunteer fire department in 1735;

Whereas 346 fire fighters and emergency personnel died while responding to the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001;

Whereas fire fighters respond to more than 20,000,000 calls during a typical year;

Whereas fire fighters also provide emergency medical services, hazardous materials response, special rescue response, terrorism response, and life safety education;

Whereas, in 1922, President Harding first declared the week of October 9 to bea Fire Prevention Week; and, and itWhereas the second Tuesday in October an is appropriate day forto continue this tradition by supporting the establishmentdesignation of a National Fire Fighter Appreciation Day: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports the designation of a `National Fire Fighter Appreciation Day' to honor and celebrate the fire fighters of the United States.