April 29, 2013
Flags lowered to honor first responder
Under a proclamation signed by Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, the United States flag and the Illinois flag are to be at half-staff at all State of Illinois facilities in honor of a first responder killed in the April 17 explosion at a West, Texas fertilizer plant.
Flags are to be flown at half-staff until sunset, Wednesday, May 1, in honor of Kevin Sanders, 33, of Eddy, Texas. A native of Palos Hills, Sanders was among 14 people killed in the explosion in West Texas. A member of the all-volunteer Bruceville-Eddy Fire Department in West Texas, Sanders was taking an EMT class when the fire occurred and was among those helping to evacuate residents when the explosion began. Sanders was part of Plainfield’s emergency management team prior to moving to Texas.