Central Coast community members are invited to gather at Waller Park in Orcutt to remember the life and legacy of fallen Santa Barbara County firefighter paramedic, Joey De Anda.
De Anda passed away on Jan. 8, 2022, in an off-duty skiing accident at China Peak. As we approach one year since De Anda’s passing, his loved ones are organizing a memorial 5K fun run to celebrate his amazing life and legacy.
In the months that followed De Anda’s death, his family and friends have been working to keep his memory alive, creating a new award for Santa Barbara County Fire Department recruits as well as receiving recognition from state legislators.
De Anda was a Central Coast native, graduating from Cal Poly in June of 2018 while working simultaneously for San Luis Ambulance, AMR, Cal Fire, and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. By August 2018, he also started working for CalStar, fulfilling a dream of working on the renowned helicopter ambulance on the Central Coast.
In 2020, De Anda completed the fire academy for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, proving that with heart and dedication, anything is possible. He had hoped to one day combine all of his schooling and field experience to become a public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
Registration for the 5K fun run is free and is open to all community members. Click herefor the link to sign-up or to learn more about this event.
This will take place this Saturday, Jan. 7. Check-in for the run will begin at 7:30 a.m. and runners will take off at 8:30 a.m. Parking inside Waller Park will be limited to emergency personnel.
