K 21: Honoring Past Chief Jon Kemp upon the occasion of his designation for special recognition after 50 years of dedicated service to the Main-Transit Fire Department of Amherst, New York

 Assembly Resolution No. 21 BY: M. of A. McMahon HONORING Past Chief Jon Kemp upon the occasion of his designation for special recognition after 50 years of dedicated service to the Main-Transit Fire Department of Amherst, New York WHEREAS, Citizens across our State and Nation are inspired by and indebted to our noble volunteer firefighters who exhibit courage and bravery every day in the course of their duties; and WHEREAS, Volunteer 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, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Past Chief Jon Kemp, upon the occasion of his designation for special recognition after 50 years of dedicated service to the Main-Transit Fire Department, to be celebrated at its Annual Installation of Officers on Saturday, February 1, 2025; and WHEREAS, Jon Kemp was born and raised in the Town of Amherst, New York; on August 19, 1974, he officially became a new member of the Main-Transit Fire Department in Amherst; on that day, he embarked on a five-decade career during which he served in several positions and accomplished many endeavors within the Department; and WHEREAS, During his tenure with the Department, Jon Kemp has faithfully served his community as Safety Officer, Fire Lieutenant, Fire Captain (20 years), Assistant Chief (10 years), and Fire Chief (three years); and WHEREAS, Jon Kemp served on numerous committees with the purpose of purchasing integral equipment and fire trucks; additionally, in the service of the fire industry, he spent a large portion of his career working for various vendors of fire equipment and emergency services supplies; and WHEREAS, For recreation, Jon Kemp has been a long-time member of the Amherst Firefighters' Bowling League, and, as an avid golfer, has won the annual Amherst Fire Council's golf tournament; and WHEREAS, Jon Kemp exhibited his outstanding abilities in ladder climbing events and was a long-time member of the Slo-Pokes Drill Team; and WHEREAS, An ardent proponent of first responder disability awareness and training, Jon Kemp is Co-Founder and former Director of Creating Hope Through Opportunity, Participation, and Empowerment (C-HOPE), a non-profit organization which is dedicated to promoting inclusion, providing innovative programming and opportunities, and empowering adults with developmental disabilities; and WHEREAS, Jon Kemp has consistently demonstrated a level of commitment, dedication, integrity, and professionalism which truly exemplifies excellence in the volunteer service; and WHEREAS, With him throughout have been his wife, Judy, and his two daughters, Alex and Emily, who have all shown him love and support and rejoice in his many achievements; and WHEREAS, Firefighters unwaveringly serve our great State with pride, valor, and integrity; these respected volunteers are often the first to respond to an emergency, whether the emergency is a fire, transportation accident, natural disaster, act of terrorism, medical crisis, or spill of hazardous materials; 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; Jon Kemp is 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 honor Past Chief Jon Kemp upon the occasion of his designation for special recognition after 50 years of dedicated service to the Main-Transit Fire Department; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Past Chief Jon Kemp.