WHEREAS, Charles L. Werner, a dedicated civic servant and a respected expert in fire science and emergency response, retired as chief of the Charlottesville Fire Department in 2015, after a distinguished 41-year career; and

WHEREAS, Charles Werner joined the Harrisonburg Fire Department at the age of 14 as a volunteer, and by the age of 16 he had become the youngest person to serve as a captain; he later joined the Charlottesville Fire Department, where he worked for 37 years and rose through the ranks from firefighter to chief; and

WHEREAS, during his 10-year tenure as chief of the Charlottesville Fire Department, Charles Werner implemented numerous innovative changes to training and technology to better serve the community, while increasing the safety and efficiency of his firefighters and saving taxpayer money; and

WHEREAS, Charles Werner's practices and policies helped drastically reduce fire deaths in the city, and many of his programs have been emulated at fire departments throughout the United States; and

WHEREAS, under Charles Werner's able leadership, the Charlottesville Fire Department became one of only 60 departments in the country to receive an Insurance Services Office Class 1 Fire Protection rating; and

WHEREAS, Charles Werner oversaw the construction of a new station, which was recognized as one of the best in the country, and he helped the Charlottesville Fire Department achieve accreditation through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International; and

WHEREAS, a trusted expert in the field, Charles Werner has been called upon to testify before the United States Congress and the Virginia General Assembly, and he has shared his knowledge and experience with other chiefs and members of the media; and

WHEREAS, Charles Werner has held leadership positions in peer and professional organizations at local, state, and national levels; he has helped ensure successful collaborations between departments, government agencies, and other organizations, resulting in valuable improvements to training, techniques, and equipment; and

WHEREAS, Charles Werner has also authored dozens of publications on firefighting and offers his services as an editor and an amateur web designer to firefighting magazines and websites; he has earned numerous awards and accolades at local, state, and national levels for his myriad contributions to the field; and

WHEREAS, striving to further enhance the community, Charles Werner supports the Salvation Army, the American Red Cross, local events and programs to serve and honor veterans, and other service organizations; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Charles L. Werner, a diligent civic servant who has safeguarded the lives and property of Charlottesville residents for 41 years, hereby be commended on the occasion of his retirement as chief of the Charlottesville Fire Department; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Charles L. Werner as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for his lifetime of service to the Charlottesville community.