On Thursday, October 28 at 9:30 a.m., the District Court of Guam will proudly host a
special Naturalization Ceremony in celebration of Fire Prevention Month.
October is Fire Prevention Month during which firefighters raise fire safety awareness amongst families, students and communities, and ensure the safety of homes and families.
In 1922, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) named the second week of October Fire Prevention Week in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. Locally, the Governor and Lt. Governor of Guam, in collaboration with the Guam Fire Department,
proclaimed October 3 to October 9, 2021 as Fire Prevention Week, with this year’s
campaign being “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety!”.
Our keynote speaker for this ceremony will be Guam Fire Department Fire Chief Daniel Stone.
The Naturalization Ceremony will take place inside the courthouse with social distancing guidelines implemented. There, the soon-to-be citizens will take their oath to bear faith and allegiance to our great nation. This is a momentous event as the court welcomes 26 new citizens who hail from Cambodia, France, French Polynesia, Philippines, South Korea, and Vietnam.
Following the Naturalization Ceremony at 9:30 a.m., the District Court of Guam will be kicking off its Citizen Outreach Program. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, new citizens
were given the opportunity to get their citizenship documents, such as passports, social
security cards, and voter registration. This will be the first Naturalization Ceremony in which the court will reopen their Citizenship Outreach Program services in collaboration with the Guam Election Commission and the Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS).
The COVID-19 vaccination clinic will take place outside the courthouse with DPHSS and will be available to the new citizens after their ceremony. The Guam Election Commission will also accommodate the new citizens after their ceremony inside the courthouse.
The newly naturalized citizens will be given the choice to register to vote with the Guam Election Commission and/or get their vaccinations or booster shots with the Department of Public Health and Social Services right after their Naturalization Ceremony.
Chief Judge Tydingco-Gatewood states, “The District Court of Guam is excited to partner
with the Guam Election Commission and DPHSS to provide these newly naturalized citizens
with opportunities that are given to all American citizens. This is the first time we will be
coordinating with DPHSS to offer COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots and we are
thankful for the support that has been provided. We are also excited to be able to do all of
this during Fire Prevention Month, and to continue our partnership with many of the
firefighters we worked with when coordinating our Power Act Outreach Event in August
2021.”
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