ORLANDO, Fla. — Every December, families, businesses, and community groups get the chance to “adopt” one of Orange County’s fire stations. This holiday season, that tradition continues.

What You Need To Know

Orange County revives its annual “Adopt a Fire Station” program for the holiday season

The initiative invites families and community groups to support firefighters working through the holidays

Firefighters say the visits, meals and appreciation strengthen their bond with the community

Sign-ups are open now through Dec. 1 for all 45 Orange County fire stations

“A lot of times when you see us showing up, you’re not having the best day of your life. The adopt a fire station program is great because the fire department is interwoven with the fabric of the community and so it allows the community to come and visit with the firefighters at the station,” said Battalion Chief Thomas Veal with Orange County Fire Rescue.

It’s a tradition Veal says always puts a smile on the faces of their teams.

What started back over 10 years ago has become a special way for people to say “thank you” to the firefighters who work around the clock, even during the holidays.

“It just helps build that community relationship and it’s really nice. We really do appreciate the love and support from the community because even if we can’t be with our own families, we can be with our community family,” Veal said.

The adoptions often include holiday meals, treats, or quality time with crews.

“It’s kind of nice to have people out there that are supporting us and showing us that they appreciate our presence in a time that we are away from our families,” said Engineer Carlo Gonzalez.

For safety, the county asks participants to bring ServSafe-certified food — like meals from restaurants, caterers, grocery stores, or food trucks.

And whether it’s a full holiday dinner or just a few minutes spent saying thank you, crews say these visits help make their holiday shift feel a little more like home.

Sign-ups for the Adopt a Fire Station program are open now through Dec. 1 for any of the county’s 45 fire stations. To find your nearest station and register, residents can visit here.