Commending the Tasley Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.

Commending the Tasley Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 9, 2026
WHEREAS, for 100 years, the Tasley Volunteer Fire Company, Inc., has greatly served its community by safeguarding the lives and property of Tasley and Accomack County; and
WHEREAS, the origins of the Tasley Volunteer Fire Company date to 1926, when a fire at A.J. Lilliston's sawmill inspired a group in Tasley to improve fire protection in the community by purchasing a 35-gallon hand-drawn soda acid chemical engine and hand extinguishers; and
WHEREAS, the success of this early endeavor encouraged the group to acquire larger and more powerful equipment, and the Tasley Volunteer Fire Company was formally incorporated on August 12, 1927, the same year the company's first motorized fire engine was acquired; and
WHEREAS, the Ladies Auxiliary of the Tasley Volunteer Fire Company was organized shortly thereafter on December 12, 1927, and its members worked tirelessly to raise funds to support the fire station's efforts; and
WHEREAS, the Tasley Volunteer Fire Company has been guided over the years by the first-class leadership of its 13 presidents, beginning with Thomas J. McJilton from 1926 to 1936, and its 15 fire chiefs, beginning with John R. Rew from 1926 to 1941; and
WHEREAS, the Tasley Volunteer Fire Company has advanced firefighting in the Commonwealth as a member of the Virginia State Firefighters Association and as a charter member of both the Del-Mar-Va Volunteer Firemen's Association and the Accomack–Northampton Firemen's Association; and
WHEREAS, in its first two-story concrete block fire station, Tasley Volunteer Fire Company steadily grew, and the building saw additions in 1931, 1974, and 2001 before the company moved to its new station on Tasley Road on July 11, 2020; and
WHEREAS, today, Tasley Volunteer Fire Company operates a fleet of five emergency vehicles to respond to more than 300 emergency calls per year, including not only fires, but also vehicle accidents, extrication calls, rescues, and hazardous materials incidents; and
WHEREAS, since its founding, the Tasley Volunteer Fire Company has remained entirely staffed by volunteers, a testament to its members' steadfast dedication and unwavering commitment to the well-being of the community; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Tasley Volunteer Fire Company, Inc., hereby be commended for its legacy of service; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Tasley Volunteer Fire Company, Inc., as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for the company's contributions to Tasley and the Commonwealth.