In this week’s edition of Size-Up, the County of Los Angeles Fire Department (LACoFD) proudly spotlights the Kevin Woyjeck Explorers for Life Association.
Kevin Woyjeck, a Southern California native, was deeply influenced by his father, retired LACoFD Fire Captain Joe Woyjeck, to enter the fire service. Kevin joined the LACoFD Explorer Program at the age 15, and by the age of 21 he had graduated from multiple fire academies and had several seasons of hands-on experience working with various crews.
On June 30, 2013, Kevin, along with 18 other members of the Prescott, Arizona Fire Department’s Granite Mountain Hotshot Crew, died while valiantly fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire. In his memory, Kevin’s parents established the Kevin Woyjeck Explorers for Life Association (KWEFLA), a nonprofit to help underserved fire explorers and cadets pursue careers in the fire service across the nation.
Led by Kevin’s father, Joe, President, and Kevin’s mother, Anna, Founder and Treasurer, the organization has since grown to be a nationally recognized non-profit that has provided aid to explorers and exploring programs nation-wide.
“When my wife Anna reflected on how meaningful the Explorer experience had been for our boys, she realized that many underserved young people wanted to join Explorer and Cadet programs but simply couldn’t afford the required gear, tuition, or training costs,” said Joe. “[Anna] said, ‘Why don’t we help them? Why don’t we take the love that was shown to us and pour it into underserved youth who want to be part of the fire service?’
Since 2013, the KWEFLA has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to provide prospective fire explorers with uniforms, equipment, training and tuition fees, scholarships and has given numerous young people opportunities to follow in the footsteps of Kevin.
“This organization was created out of love, it continues out of purpose,” said Joe. “It thrives because Kevin’s spirit continues to inspire people everywhere to lift up underserved youth and help them shine.”
The LACoFD is proud to support the KWEFLA and expresses gratitude to everyone involved in continuing to spread awareness for Kevin’s legacy and enhancing access for the next generation of explorers. For more information or to support the mission of the KWEFLA, please visit https://explorersforlife.org.