Give back to Orange County firefighters this holiday season

While many people spend the holiday season feasting at home, surrounded by their families, some emergency rescue workers must remain away from their loved ones at the station. Central Florida residents have the opportunity to give back to these local firefighters who are on call during this festive time of year by providing meals in November and December through Orange County’s Adopt a Fire Station program.

The program was started in 2012 by Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs. With the operation now in its fourth year, the mayor said she hopes the community will continue to help those who sacrifice for them.

“I want to ask all of the citizens in Orange County to remember that while we’re enjoying our friends and families during the holidays, many of our firefighters – who devote their lives to protect others’ lives – will be at our fire stations,” Jacobs said in an email. “These heroes are the fabric of our community and I encourage all citizens to find the closest fire station to your home to adopt and show appreciation to these brave men and women in meaningful ways.”

In 2014, 29 stations were adopted through the program, according to Orange County’s website. Sheraton Vistana Resort is one organization that has participated in the program for years, with associates delivering breakfast and lunch to fire stations through the Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association’s program for several years before Orange County’s program began.

Vistana general manager Glen Vlasic said the resort has fostered a longstanding relationship with members of the fire department, and the resort’s employees wanted to give fire rescue units the recognition that they deserve.

“Based on that relationship,” Vlasic said, “we wanted to make sure that we look after those men and women who look after our associates and our owners and guests so well.”

On Sept. 11, Thanksgiving and Christmas, the resort has 15 to 20 associates who volunteer to either cook or deliver meals to stations 35, 36 and 56. On Thanksgiving, Vlasic personally delivers food with his children and the resort’s director of security, Aziz Ndiaye.

Though the firefighters are always appreciative of everyone’s efforts, Vlasic said one experience a few years ago really stood out. Vlasic had driven up to one of the stations with a trunk full of food and drinks and his kids along for the ride. He noticed one of the firefighters standing outside of the station, a big guy over 6 feet tall, talking to someone on the phone. He looked near tears, Vlasic said.

Whoever had planned to feed the firefighters that day had been unable to follow through. The station’s lieutenant was desperately trying to find food for the station when Vlasic arrived and explained what they were there to do.

“He gave me this huge hug, almost broke my back lifting me off the ground. And I mean, the whole firehouse was emotional when we went in and dropped off the food. That was the coolest thing,” Vlasic said.

Such a warm response was especially meaningful for Vlasic, because his son-in-law is a fireman in North Carolina, he said.

Vlasic said sharing these experiences with his children is important. He adopted his 15-year-old twin daughters, Alessandra and Katerina, as well as his 19-year-old son Anthony. He said his adopted children know the significance of the program and volunteering their time, because they have known what it's like to be someone in need.

“It’s firmly embedded in them, their responsibility to give back to the community, because they’re blessed as I am to have adopted them,” Vlasic said.

To learn more about how to adopt a fire station in Orange County, contact Tiana Davis at 407-836-5531.