Each year the department members vote anonymously to recognize two of their peers for going over and beyond the normal call of duty. One is recognized as the Firefighter of the Year and other as the Officer of the Year.

This year's Firefighter of the Year is Julio Perez. Julio has been with the department for just under two years and is credited with rescuing one person from a burning mobile home in 2019. In 2020, Julio rescued an unconscious victim from a second floor apartment building fire. Julio is a hard working, quiet and compassionate firefighter that is always willing to do whatever is asked of him. Julio was part of the team that upfitted the Orange County Special Operations equipment trailer. Julio is also bi-lingual and often helps translate on emergency responses.

This year's Officer of the Year is Ryan Phillips. Ryan has been with the department for just over two years. Ryan came to work with us after his time in the US Navy. Ryan is credited with managing a structure fire as the first on scene unit leader before he ever made officer rank. Ryan is a hard working, compassionate and dedicated fire officer that seeks to get the most out of his firefighters by challenging them and setting the example for them to follow. Ryan is one of the departments Drone Pilots and he handles all of the technology we use in emergency response. Ryan also serves on the Orange County Special Operations team as a Trench Rescue Technician.

We are proud of the dedication and hard work of all of our personnel. These gentlemen exemplify the quality of our personnel and our department.
Please join us in congratulating these firefighters on their accomplishments.