OCFA "The Tribute" Memorial - Irvine, CA
Posted by: 
DopeyDuck
N 33° 44.831 W 117° 45.995
11S E 428997 N 3734388
The firefighter memorial called "The Tribute" at the Orange County Fire Authority Headquarters is a powerful and moving set of three sculptures representing the past, present, and future of the Fire Service and the OCFA.
Waymark Code: WM61QF
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 03/17/2009
Views: 6
"THE TRIBUTE" is a heroic bronze sculpture by the artist De L'Esprie commissioned by the Orange County Fire Authority in 2004.
There are three plaques describing the three elements of the memorial:
"THE PAST -- Today's OCFA is a reflection of the past when the California Division of Forestry (CDF) organized the Orange County Fire Department in 1930. Over the next 50 years the Department used both paid firefighters and volunteers to serve the citizens of Orange County. This sculpture represents a firefighter on one knee explaining the heroic stories of the early firefighters and their commitment to the citizens of Orange County. The youngster proudly holds one hand on the helmet and listens to every detail of the exciting stories with the hope that someday he will carry on the proud tradition of the fire service."
"THE PRESENT -- Today's firefighter must be prepared to meet many challenges. Saving lives and improving the safety of the community is not only a job but also a passion. Modern firefighters are trained professionally and understand the importance of teamwork. This sculpture represents the bravery, dedication, and heroism of firefighters lifting a young girl from the wreckage of a collapsed building to safety."
"THE FUTURE -- The eternal flame represents the spirit of the men and women who have dedicated their lives to serve the citizens of Orange County. It symbolizes the pledge and commitment of all members of the OCFA to protect lives, property, and the environment with compassion, vigilance and dedication to excellence."
A plaque on the eternal flame reads:
"OCFA MEMORIAL
We honor the men and women of the Fire Service whose commitment and dedication is daily expressed as they step into the midst of chaos and desperate times on behalf of the citizens of Orange County. By their selfless actions they bring a sense of peace, hope, and the highest degree of caring. We pay tribute to their sacrifices on behalf of mankind.
We are indebted to their families and honor them as well for their courage, resilience, their contributions and love of the Fire Service as well as the family time that they give to the Fires Service.
It is our hope that this Memorial will remind us all of those lives lost in the line of duty and that it would give us an understanding that the mark of true greatness is found when they sacrifice their lives for others.
Lord, give us comfort knowing that their sacrifice was not in vain, And that we would know the kind of love and unswerving respect for each other within the Fire Service that says about those whom we mourn, "We love you... we will never forget you... we will model our lives and our service to others in a way that will make you proud."
Monsignor John Sammon
California State Firefighters Chaplain
Warren Johnson
OCFA Chaplain"
Link to Artist's Website and this sculpture (
visit link)