Gerard Urbas

WHEREAS, Gerard "Gary" Urbas has served his nation and the state 1
of Washington with honor and distinction as both a highly regarded 2
leader in the Armed Forces and a dedicated employee of the state's 3
Emergency Management Division; and 4
WHEREAS, His tenure at the Emergency Management Division, 5
specifically with the department's Public Assistance Program, 6
included improved success in getting Federal Emergency Management 7
Agency disaster declarations when Washingtonians needed help; and8
WHEREAS, These efforts brought approximately $5 billion of relief 9
for Washingtonians; and 10
WHEREAS, His knowledge, expertise, and forward thinking has been 11
recognized by the state Department of Health, which credits Gary for 12
helping the Department of Health become a model for the nation during 13
the COVID-19 pandemic; and 14
WHEREAS, His vision and guidance helped the state successfully 15
use the Public Assistance Program to support COVID-19 testing sites, 16
vaccination efforts, and noncongregate sheltering and secure $1.2 17
billion to reimburse response costs; and 18
WHEREAS, After turning over the program to his successor, he 19
continued to work as a state Public Assistance reservist to provide 20
disaster recovery and Federal Emergency Management Agency project 21
support; and 22
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2025-4630 , by Representatives Leavitt, Bronoske, and
Richards
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WHEREAS, He has helped support small and large organizations so 1
communities can maintain the critical infrastructure recovery and 2
response capabilities they desperately need; 3
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives 4
hereby congratulate Gerard "Gary" Urbas on a stellar career in 5
service to his state and nation; and 6
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we honor Mr. Urbas for his 7
commitment to the welfare and safety of Washington residents and 8
recognize his accomplishments as a source of pride and inspiration 9
for the entire state; and 10
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we commend Mr. Urbas for his 11
excellent service and leadership, conducting himself with care and 12
distinction; and 13
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor 14
and extend the warmest appreciation to Mr. Urbas and his family, who 15
sacrificed time with each other, so that the state of Washington 16
could benefit from his expertise and judgment. 17
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