ORLANDO, Fla. — The team responsible for handling fire emergencies on a daily basis is putting down its hoses and putting on skates to help raise money for the families of first responders who died in the line of duty.

This weekend, the Orlando Firefighters Hockey Club is going up against other first responders as part of the Guns ’n’ Hoses event, which kicks off at noon on Saturday at the Kia Center.

What You Need To Know

Guns ‘n’ Hoses is a hockey game to raise money for families of fallen first responders

The game is Saturday, April 11, and tickets cost $25

The event is organized by the Orlando Firefighters Hockey Club

A $25 ticket provides access to all three games Saturday, and a portion of the proceeds goes to fallen first responders’ families.

“Our club’s mission is to lift the fallen, which means anybody affected by a line-of-duty death — police, fire, any type of first responder — that’s our call,” Orlando Firefighters Hockey Club team captain Asher Blumenthal said. “So, we try to give back directly to the families affected.”

Blumenthal is also a lieutenant with the Orlando Fire Department and has been playing the game all his life. He said everyone’s skill level in the club is different.

“We have quite a variety,” he said. “A spectrum of talent and skill of guys who’ve been playing most of their lives or just starting.”

The club, which is made up of first responders from across Central Florida, held its first charity game in 1998, and has helped more than 100 families since then.

One of those families includes Mary Huggins, who lost her son, OFD Lt. Jeff Huggins, on April 16, 2024.

She said she is grateful for organizations that help families when they need it, including others who continue to honor her son.

“It’s an amazing mission they have, and it means so much to families because they’re there to support in every which way they can,” she said.

Blumenthal said team members know they have a platform to help families, and it means a lot to see the results of their efforts.

“Being in that very close-knit, small community that we see a direct effect on, it goes a long way, and it’s a little bit of an inspiration for us to keep doing it,” he said. “And just another reason to do something we enjoy anyway.”

The Orlando Firefighters Hockey Club will play against the Central Florida Enforcers at noon, then again at 2 p.m. The ticket includes a seat for the Orlando Solar Bears game against the Savannah Ghost Pirates at 7 p.m.

For more information on the fundraiser, visit the Guns ‘n’ Hoses event website.