Best and Bravest
The Best and Bravest Awards Dinner honors the men and women of OCFA who protect the public on emergencies and provide service to our communities throughout Orange County. Held annually in the Spring, the banquet spotlights employees that have demonstrated heroic or meritorious performance and have gone above and beyond in the line of duty.
Fire Cadet Program
Fire Cadet Program gives young people (ages 14-21) valuable insight into the firefighting profession. The program experience helps many of the graduates determine if fire service could be their desired career path. Approximately 60 participants in the week-long academy held annually in July gain personal confidence through developing both mechanical skills and aptitude, learn to use various tools, experience team building, and most importantly, leave with heightened fire safety awareness.
Girls Empowerment Camp
To help make this vision a reality, the Girls Empowerment Camp (GEC) is held as an annual, no-cost, two-day camp open to teens ages 14-18. The camp introduces participants to the fire service and related public safety careers, but specifically provides them with a realistic, hands-on overview of firefighting. The camp exposes participants to all aspects of a fire service career and the essential requirements of being a firefighter, both mentally and physically. The program also aims to empower the participants with life skills and professional guidance mentorship that encourages them to pursue a career in public safety ... and start sooner than later!
The camp features numerous hands-on stations which include but are not limited to: Ropes and Rappelling, CPR/First Aid, Aerial Ladder Climb, Confidence Course, Forcible Entry, Vehicle Extrication and Hose Handling. Your donation is used to provide participants with an OCFA/GEC t-shirt, GEC hat, water bottle, free drinks and meals throughout the weekend, and other unique, keepsake GEC memorabilia that the participants can showcase and be proud of after the completion of their weekend with OCFA!
Spark of Love Toy Drive
The Spark of Love Toy Drive collects over 35,000 toys and $40,000 in monetary donations for children in need. In addition to collecting toys at all 77 of our fire stations from late November through December, the OCFA works with numerous businesses and organizations within our community jurisdiction to collect toys benefitting over 100 non-profit agencies.
Other Community Fire Safety Programs and Projects
Throughout the year, the OCFA Foundation supports numerous additional important events. Learn more amount them here:
- Employee Mental Health Fitness Challenges
DONATE
- OCFA Tours & Open House
DONATE
- Smoke Alarms/Assistance for the Deaf
DONATE
- The OCFA Firefighters Memorial
DONATE
Foundation General Fund Donation
To make a general donation to the Foundation that will be used to directly support any combination of programs, select
DONATE
for electronic processing, or for donation by check:
Please make payable to the Orange County Fire Authority Foundation
Mail to:
Orange County Fire Foundation
Attn: Jim Ruane, CFO
1 Fire Authority Way
Irvine, CA 92602
To become a sponsor, make a donation, or for additional information, please contact:
Jim Ruane
OCFA Assistant Chief of Logistics and
OCFA Foundation Chief Financial Officer
JimRuane@ocfa.org
The Orange County Fire Authority Foundation is directed and administered by the following volunteers
Board of Directors
Doug Davert, Chair
Chris Lowe, Vice Chair
Sherri Butterfield, Director
Al Murray, Director
Thomas Wilson, Director
Officers and Staff
Brian Fennessy, CEO
Jim Ruane, CFO
David E. Kendig, General Counsel
Maria D. Huizar, Secretary
Board Meeting
March 2, 2023
PDF
Financial Reports
Fiscal Year 2019/20
PDF
OCFAFoundation@ocfa.org
Please submit any questions, suggestions, or general feedback in the space below. We appreciate your comments or concerns and will respond to them as soon as possible.