OCFA Division 4

Water Safety Month gave us a chance to learn, share, and prepare—and we loved seeing our community take action! At our recent Water Safety Pledge pop-up in Tustin, over 70 children committed to never swim alone and always follow water safety rules. 💙

Now that summer is here, it’s time to put those pledges into practice!

Missed the pop-up? No problem! You and your children can make your pledge to follow the ABCs of water safety in the comments below.

For more information about water safety, visit ocfa.org/PreventDrowning.

Honoring those who served 🇺🇸✨ Engine 37’s crew had the privilege of attending Tustin’s Memorial Day Remembrance Event at Veterans Sports Park. Our team enjoyed connecting with the community, showcasing the rig, and encouraging the next generation by handing out junior firefighter helmets! 🚒

Memorial Day weekend is a great time to get outside and enjoy Orange County’s beautiful trails. While temperatures should be a little cooler this weekend than they have been for the past few days, conditions can still become challenging quickly outdoors.

Over the past several years, OCFA responders — including our helicopter crews — have responded to a growing number of remote hiker rescues across the county. Many of these situations begin with hikers becoming lost, stranded, dehydrated, or unprepared for trail conditions.

A little preparation can make a big difference:

💧 Drink water before, during, and after your activity
📱 Fully charge your phone before heading out
☀️ Keep an eye on the weather and know the conditions of the trails
🥾 Never hike or bike alone

Our crews are always ready to respond when help is needed, but the best rescue is the one that never has to happen.

Have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend!

Drowning incidents happen quickly and silently — often when a child was not expected to be near the pool. Active supervision, secure barriers, and water safety awareness save lives.

✔ Assign a dedicated water watcher
✔ Keep pool gates closed and latched
✔ Learn CPR
✔ Always check the water immediately if a child is unaccounted for

For more information on water safety, visit ocfa.org/PreventDrowning

How important are child car seats? They decrease the risk of fatal injury by 71% among infants and 54% among children under 5 years old. Over 250 children’s lives are saved each year in the U.S. by proper car seat usage during a motor vehicle crash.

The decision to put your child in a car seat is a no-brainer, but knowing how to properly install one is not always so easy. That’s where we come in: Our OCFA education specialists are Child Passenger Safety Technicians, trained and certified to guide parents and caregivers on properly installing car seats.

In Division 4, we offer car seat inspection and installation appointments at Station 21 in Tustin. Follow the link in our bio or scan the QR code in this post to request an appointment.

As National Nurses Week comes to a close, we want to recognize our Division 4 EMS Nurse Educator, Cassandra Barnes. Cassandra provides training and education to our firefighters, helping them serve our communities with the highest level of emergency medical care. We appreciate all that she does in support of OCFA’s mission to save lives and preserve the quality of life. Thank you, Cassandra!

Are you ready to take the Water Safety Pledge? Come to Division 4’s water safety pop-up event at Fire Station 43 in Tustin to learn about water safety, sign a pledge certificate, and receive a fun summer prize.

📍 Where: Station 43, 11490 Pioneer Way, Tustin
🗓️ When: Wednesday, May 20th from 3-4:30pm
🧑‍🧑‍🧒 Who: Adults & kids (everyone!)
🚒 Plus: Meet your local firefighters and check out their fire truck
📝 Note: We have limited quantities of prizes; first come, first served
💧 Remember: Never Swim Alone!

Division Chief Morganstern and OCFA firefighters serving Yorba Linda attended this week’s Yorba Linda City Council meeting to support the proclamation of May as Drowning Prevention Awareness Month. Yorba Linda will join OCFA in promoting critical water safety messages this month and throughout the summer:

💧 Always Watch the Water
💧 Never Swim Alone

Chief Morganstern reinforced these safety messages by encouraging citizens to learn and practice the ABC’s of Water Safety:

✅ A - Adult Supervision: Always supervise children near water. Designate a responsible adult as a water watcher.
✅ B - Barriers: Use barriers like pool fences, covers, and alarms to prevent unsupervised access.
✅ C - Classes: Take swimming classes and learn CPR to ensure safety and fast response in emergencies.

To learn more about how you can practice and promote water safety this summer, visit ocfa.org/PreventDrowning

Yorba Linda’s city council also graciously declared May 4th International Firefighter’s Day. Thank you, Yorba Linda for your support!

Have you ever been curious about what kinds of incidents your Division 4 firefighters respond to each month? Here is a breakdown of emergency responses in April by incident type.

No matter what the emergency is, OCFA firefighters are committed to serving our communities with the highest level of care.

Note: These are preliminary counts pending final review. Official incident response statistics will be published in the 2026 Annual Report. Division 4’s response areas include Tustin, Villa Park, Yorba Linda, and the surrounding unincorporated areas of Orange County.