A resolution renamed a stretch of highway for a firefighter who died in the line of duty. | Andrew Gaines/Unsplash
A resolution renamed a stretch of highway for a firefighter who died in the line of duty. | Andrew Gaines/Unsplash
A resolution renaming a section of Illinois Route 148 for a firefighter who died in the line of duty passed the Illinois House unanimously.
"House Joint Resolution 87 (HJR 87) renames a section of Illinois Route 148 near Christopher, Illinois, in my district as firefighter 'Kody M. Vanfossan Memorial Highway,'" state Rep. Dave Serin (R-Benton), one of the sponsors of the resolution, told SE Illinois News. "He died doing what he loved while battling a six-alarm commercial fire in Christopher, Illinois, with his father, who's a CFD captain."
The father and son "were the first ones on the scene and performed a primary search of the first floor," Serin said. "After completing the search and knocking down the fire, they proceeded to the second floor. During this time, conditions deteriorated rapidly. As Kody and his dad were making their way out of the building, a stairway collapsed, trapping them in the building. Kody's dad made it out. Kody did not."
The resolution is "for those brave men and women that give us the last full measure of their devotion – the ultimate sacrifice," Serin said. "I believe it's appropriate that we memorialize their service to our communities."
Severin introduced HJR 87 in late March. It passed unanimously in the House with 111 yes votes.
The resolution was sent to the Senate in early April and is currently under review.
HJR 87 was sponsored by Reps. Severin and Patrick Windhorst (R-Alexander) in the House and Sen. Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg) in the Senate.
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