PRINTER'S NO. 20
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
43
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY K. WARD, JANUARY 11, 2019
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION, JANUARY 11, 2019
AN ACT
Designating a portion of U.S. Route 30 in Hempfield Township,
Southwest Greensburg Borough, the City of Greensburg, and
South Greensburg Borough, Westmoreland County, as the J.
Edward "Hutch" Hutchinson Memorial Bypass.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. J. Edward "Hutch" Hutchinson Memorial Bypass.
(a) Findings.--
(1) J. Edward "Hutch" Hutchinson was born and raised in
Greensburg, Westmoreland County. "Hutch" passed away April
15, 2018, at the age of 96 after spending most of those years
in overwhelming service to his community.
(2) "Hutch" was a long-serving member and chief of
Greensburg Hose Company No. 3. Having joined the volunteer
fire company on his 18th birthday in 1939, "Hutch" was active
in the fire department for more than 78 years. Throughout
that time period, he was absent from the department only
while serving in the Marine Corps during World War II.
(3) "Hutch" was sworn in as chief of the department in
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January 1953 and continually served until his retirement on
November 14, 2016. During his 63 years as chief, "Hutch"
never missed a fire call.
(4) Chief Hutchinson developed many new programs and
initiatives for the Greensburg Fire Department, several of
which have allowed the department to provide vital assistance
in emergencies far beyond Greensburg.
(5) Chief Hutchinson created the department's scuba dive
team in 1958. Since its formation, the Greensburg Volunteer
Fire Department Dive Team has logged more than 1,000
recoveries both locally and nationally, recovering drowning
victims, vehicles, stolen property, weapons and miscellaneous
items.
(6) In February 1969, Chief Hutchinson's idea to form a
bloodhound team within the department became a reality with
12 volunteer firemen and two dogs. Today, the team has grown
to more than 25 volunteer firefighters and seven active
bloodhounds, responding to approximately 25 to 35 calls
annually to assist with locating missing children; persons
missing from institutions, nursing homes and senior care
living facilities; Alzheimer patients; and robbery suspects.
(7) In addition to the scuba dive team and bloodhound
team, Chief Hutchinson was also responsible for the
establishment of the department's rope rescue team and
confined space rescue team and the department's procurement
of vital equipment such as the high-expansion foam truck and
the first Hurst hydraulic vehicle rescue tools.
(8) Under Chief Hutchinson's leadership, members of the
Greensburg Fire Department provided assistance to other
communities in need, including Hurricane Hugo relief efforts
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in South Carolina and helping to successfully rescue the nine
miners of the Quecreek mine collapse. When the chief saw a
need, he responded and motivated others to do the same,
whether it was for a local family who lost their possessions
in a fire or a poor school in Selma, Alabama, in need of
equipment and supplies.
(9) Aside from his service as fire chief, "Hutch" was
also instrumental in many community projects in Westmoreland
County such as the Aerobic Center, Air Rescue East helicopter
service, Mutual Aid Ambulance Service, the fitness center at
Greensburg Salem High School and sports fields and various
pavilions throughout Greensburg. "Hutch" is credited with
helping to create the Westmoreland County 911 system in the
1970s and served for many years on Excela Westmoreland
Hospital's board of directors.
(10) Chief Hutchinson was someone who never sought and
rarely accepted public accolades, but he was the first
recipient of the "Pennsylvania Fireman of the Year" award on
September 26, 1964.
(b) Designation.--The portion of U.S. Route 30 in
Westmoreland County from North Greengate Road, Hempfield
Township, to East Pittsburgh Street, Hempfield Township, is
hereby designated the J. Edward "Hutch" Hutchinson Memorial
Bypass.
(c) Signs.--The Department of Transportation shall erect and
maintain appropriate signs displaying the name of the highway to
traffic in both directions on the highway.
Section 2. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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