WHEREAS, Edmund Elliott retired as the chief of the Chesapeake Fire Department after an exceptional career in firefighting that spanned more than five decades; and

WHEREAS, a lifelong resident of the Deep Creek area of Chesapeake, Edmund "Ed" Elliott is a graduate of Deep Creek High School and holds degrees from Tabernacle Baptist Bible College, Tidewater Community College, and what is now Bluefield University; he also completed the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy; and

WHEREAS, Ed Elliott joined the Chesapeake Fire Department in 1974 and rose through the ranks to become deputy fire chief in 1996; in January 2010, he became chief of the Chesapeake Fire Department and the emergency management coordinator for the city; and

WHEREAS, as chief, Ed Elliott transformed the organizational culture of the Chesapeake Fire Department and worked diligently to ensure that the members of the department had the tools and training they needed to effectively safeguard the lives and property of local residents; and

WHEREAS, Ed Elliott provided his leadership and expertise to the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the Virginia Fire Chiefs Association; he is also a board member of Healthy Chesapeake and a founding member of the Hampton Roads Regional Incident Management Team; and

WHEREAS, Ed Elliott has inspired future generations of firefighters as chair of the Fire Science Programs Advisory Board and an adjunct fire sciences instructor at Tidewater Community College; and

WHEREAS, Ed Elliott enjoys fellowship and worship with the congregation of Wayside Baptist Church, where he serves as a Bible teacher and lay preacher; and

WHEREAS, in his well-earned retirement, Ed Elliott plans to spend more time with his wife, Teresa, and their children and grandchildren, while seeking new opportunities to serve the community; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Edmund Elliott hereby be commended on the occasion of his retirement as chief of the Chesapeake Fire Department; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Edmund Elliott as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for his commitment to public safety and accomplishments in service to the Chesapeake community.