S.J.R. 10

1

RESOLUTION SUPPORTING FIREFIGHTER
2 MUSEUM AND MINING MUSEUM
3 1999 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Sponsor: R. Mont Evans
6 A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE LEGISLATURE RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTION OF
7 UTAH'S FIREFIGHTERS IN PRESERVING LIFE AND PROPERTY THROUGHOUT THE
8 HISTORY OF THE STATE; RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTION OF UTAH'S MINING
9 INDUSTRY TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND STRENGTH OF UTAH; AND
10 ENCOURAGING THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL, KENNECOTT UTAH COPPER, SALT
11 LAKE COUNTY, AND THE CITY OF SOUTH JORDAN TO WORK TOGETHER TO
12 CHOOSE AN APPROPRIATE SITE FOR A MUSEUM PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE STATE'S
13 FIREFIGHTERS AND MINING INDUSTRY.
14 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
15 WHEREAS, the establishment of a museum honoring career and volunteer firefighters in
16 Utah, combined with a recognition of the immense contribution of the mining industry to the
17 economic development and strength of Utah, is currently being considered;
18 WHEREAS, since the days of Utah's early settlements, the protection of life and property
19 has been possible because some citizens were willing to risk their lives to put out fires;
20 WHEREAS, as firefighters became better trained and more organized, firefighting became
21 an increasingly valued service, but one that remained mostly a volunteer effort;
22 WHEREAS, today, there are many career firefighters who share Utah's firefighting heritage
23 with volunteers, who make up nearly 85% of firefighters in the state;
24 WHEREAS, today firefighters are also trained in emergency medical services, the handling
25 of hazardous materials, and heavy and confined space rescues;
26 WHEREAS, the state's firefighting heritage is built on the service of brave, unselfish, and
27 largely unheralded men and women who stand in harm's way for their neighbors on each call for

28 help;
29 WHEREAS, national fatality figures indicate that firefighting ranks as one of the five most
30 dangerous occupations in the nation;
31 WHEREAS, in one national study, firefighting was found to be the second most stressful
32 occupation in the United States;
33 WHEREAS, it is fitting that these individuals receive recognition for their many years of
34 dedication and service under the most extreme circumstances;
35 WHEREAS, the 15 firefighters who have lost their lives in service since 1943, and those
36 who died before them, are heroes who merit respectful recognition and honor from the citizens of
37 Utah;
38 WHEREAS, a memorial dedicated to firefighters who have lost their lives in service should
39 play an important part in the plans for the museum;
40 WHEREAS, in addition to firefighting, the mining history of Utah is filled with a richness
41 and success that once led President Abraham Lincoln to refer to Utah as a "treasurehouse of the
42 nation";
43 WHEREAS, without minerals and coal the soil could not be tilled, machines and
44 computers could not be built, energy could not be generated, and goods could not be transported;
45 WHEREAS, the mining industry has played a critical role in the economic development
46 of the state;
47 WHEREAS, for the past 152 years, miners in Utah have managed to mine, process, smelt
48 or refine 65 of the more than 90 mineral materials needed by modern society;
49 WHEREAS, local mining in the Price area led to the accelerated development of the
50 railroad in Utah;
51 WHEREAS, mining resources from Utah were a critical factor in World Wars I and II;
52 WHEREAS, today, mining continues to be a major factor in Utah's economy, providing
53 employment for 14,500 people directly and 40,000 additional jobs for supporting industries and
54 businesses;
55 WHEREAS, the coal fields of central Utah hold a rich source of high quality, low sulfur
56 coal that has been of great benefit to the state;
57 WHEREAS, Bingham Canyon, which has mined more copper than any other mine in the
58 world, has produced 15 million tons of copper, 20 million ounces of gold, 175,000 ounces of

59 silver, and 700 million pounds of molybdenum, with a cumulative monetary value exceeding the
60 value of the California, the Comstock, and Klondike gold strikes combined;
61 WHEREAS, minerals are literally society's building blocks, have transformed life at home
62 and in the workplace, and contribute to the protection of the environment;
63 WHEREAS, there is tremendous educational value in preserving the state's firefighting and
64 mining history for future generations; and
65 WHEREAS, the State Fire Marshal, Kennecott Utah Copper, Salt Lake County, and the
66 City of South Jordan have expressed interest in establishing a museum that pays tribute to
67 firefighters and the state's mining industry, and some potential sites on the west side of Salt Lake
68 County have been identified:
69 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
70 recognize the invaluable contribution that firefighters have made to the preservation of life and
71 property, and that the mining industry has made to the economic development and strength of the
72 state.
73 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature urge that representatives of the State
74 Fire Marshal, Kennecott Utah Copper, Salt Lake County, and the City of South Jordan get together
75 to determine a suitable location for a museum honoring Utah's firefighters and the state's mining
76 legacy, and request input from the Governor's Office.
77 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the State Fire
78 Marshal, Kennecott Utah Copper, Salt Lake County, and the City of South Jordan.




Legislative Review Note
as of 2-1-99 6:14 PM

A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel