6162912 ACR 21-250, September 11th Emergency and First Responders Remembrance and Recognition Resolution of 2016
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A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
21-250
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
July 12, 2016
To honor the District’s Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department for its dedication to and protection of the citizens and visitors of Washington, D.C., and for its valiant and courageous service to the metropolitan area after the attacks of September 11, 2001.
WHEREAS, on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, the Council of the District of Columbia honors the memory of the 2,977 people who perished from the attack, including 12 victims from the District;
WHEREAS, an exceptionally courageous force of first responders - including more than 100,000 firefighters, paramedics, rescue and recovery workers, and police officers - risked their lives that day to save the lives of others;
WHEREAS, the brave members of the District’s Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, along with members of the Arlington County Fire Department and other local fire agencies, helped with the Pentagon recovery efforts on September 11, 2001;
WHEREAS, the men and women who serve as first responders in the District of Columbia carry out the extraordinary responsibility of protecting not only District residents, but also all who visit and work here, and have always done so with tremendous dedication and respect;
WHEREAS, the men and women of the District’s emergency services have fulfilled every duty to the District and their country in an honorable, courageous, and timely fashion, and they have demonstrated immense compassion for those who have suffered unforeseeable tragedies, while routinely considering the safety and well-being of others before their own;
WHEREAS, thousands of these same men and women have suffered adverse physical and emotional effects in the 15 years since 2001 and are at significantly greater risk for developing occupational cancers due to their exposure to chemicals and debris from the attacks;
WHEREAS, the Council acknowledges that there is more work to be done to support our first responders and to ensure that our men and women are suitably cared for and compensated for their brave work defending the District, our country, and our ideals; and
WHEREAS, it is fully right and just to honor the memory of those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks a decade ago, it is equally compelling to observe and pay our respects to the first responders of the District and recognize their bravery and selflessness in the face of extraordinarily trying circumstances.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution be cited as the “September 11th Emergency and First Responders Remembrance and Recognition Resolution of 2016”.
Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia honors its first responders for their tremendous commitment to serving the District, and remembers emergency workers who dutifully served their country in the face of danger on September 11, 2001.
Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in the District of Columbia Register.
