A HOUSE RESOLUTION Honoring the life and memory of howard "Buddy" Wilson.
Whereas, Howard "Buddy" Wilson was born on July 24, 1934, in Charlotte, North Carolina; and
Whereas, during his childhood, Buddy was a Boy Scout and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout; and
Whereas, Buddy graduated from Harding High School in 1952, then enlisted in the United States Navy, where he served until 1955, receiving an Honorable Discharge and earning the National Defense Service Medal; and
Whereas, after serving in the Navy, Buddy returned to Charlotte, where he became a firefighter with the Charlotte Fire Department (CFD) in 1957; and
Whereas, originally assigned to Engine Company 7, Buddy received several promotions and attained the rank of Captain by 1963; and
Whereas, Buddy became a training officer with the Palmer Fire School, and his duties included serving as a Recruit Training Officer; a North Carolina Fire Service Instructor; an instructor for Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) in topics related to the fire service, first aid, CPR, mountaineering, and rescue; and an arson investigator; and
Whereas, while a training officer, Buddy earned an A.A.S. degree in Fire Science Technology at CPCC in one of the first graduating classes; attained numerous certifications in areas such as CPR, fire investigation, rescue, and mountaineering; developed numerous training programs and innovations in fire suppression and rescue; founded and led the CFD Specially Trained in Rescue, Aid and Performance (STRAP) Team, which was the forerunner of all CFD rescue, urban search and rescue, and special operations; and
Whereas, around 1974, Buddy was promoted to the rank of District Chief (Battalion Chief) and later became Chief of the 3rd Battalion, Division B, serving in that position until 1983, when he was promoted to the rank of Division Chief; and
Whereas, Buddy became the Assistant Chief of Operations in 1984 and also served as an adjunct instructor for the National Fire Academy, specializing in on‑campus and outreach courses nationwide in arson investigation and incident command; and
Whereas, Buddy retired from CFD as the Assistant Chief of Operations in 1987; and
Whereas, because of the numerous scars he received from countless fires and exposure to chemicals and products of combustion during a time in the fire service when respiratory protection was not considered mandatory, Buddy became a strong proponent of requiring firefighters to use breathing apparatus in all atmospheres that could be considered immediately dangerous to life and health; and
Whereas, during his retirement, Buddy founded a successful fire service training, investigation, and consulting service, and, during the early 1990s, he accepted an appointment with the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a post‑disaster public damage assessor; and
Whereas, Buddy retired from all professional endeavors in 1997; and
Whereas, Buddy moved to Robbinsville, North Carolina, in 2001, where he was active in American Legion Post 192 and was a faithful member of the Blessed Hope Baptist Church; and
Whereas, Buddy was preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn Wilson; and
Whereas, Buddy died on February 11, 2017; and
Whereas, Buddy is survived by a son, Michael Wilson; a daughter, Denise Medford; and a grandson, M. Elijah Medford; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
SECTION 1.  The House of Representatives honors the memory of Howard "Buddy" Wilson and expresses its appreciation for his life and outstanding service to the Charlotte Fire Department and the fire protection service.
SECTION 2.  The House of Representatives extends its deepest sympathy to the family of Howard "Buddy" Wilson for the loss of a beloved family member.
SECTION 3.  The Principal Clerk shall transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the family of Howard "Buddy" Wilson.
SECTION 4.  This resolution is effective upon adoption.