Around Town: Laguna Beach Fire Department names 2020 Firefighter of the Year
Laguna Beach Fire Department colleagues have named Fire Engineer Chris Ornelas 2020 Firefighter of the Year.
In addition to his tasks as an engineer, Ornelas, who works out of Fire Station 4 in South Laguna, manages the department’s social media accounts, inventories and tests fire hoses and helps train new firefighters.
According to a press release Wednesday, the firefighter has become the “de facto historian” for the department, curating new photographs, and also spends time working with the Firefighter Cancer Support Network.
In the press release, Laguna Beach Fire Chief Mike Garcia praised Ornelas for his efforts. “It goes without saying that his contributions and commitment to the Laguna Beach Fire Department have been extremely impactful throughout 2020,” he said.
Night of Lights OC celebrates the new year
The mile-long drive-through Night of Lights OC sponsored by Winter Fest OC will mark the start of 2021 with guests from the animated series “PAW Patrol,” culminating in a special event celebrating local heroes.
In addition to appearances from the characters Chase, Skye and Marshall through the next two weeks, healthcare and frontline workers will be honored on Jan. 10, the last night of Night of Lights OC.
Their “selfless efforts have been and continue to be truly amazing to get us all through this global pandemic,” said Mark Entner, executive producer of Night of Lights OC, in a press release.
The event, with time sessions from 5 to 9 p.m., offers winter scenery, “snow” flurries, light shows and seasonal music through the car radio. Tickets and on-site snacks including hot chocolate and cookies, as well as “Family 4 Pack” meals, are available for preorder at NightOfLightsOC.com.
Night of Lights OC takes place at the OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive in Costa Mesa.
Nonprofit delivers holiday cheer
Project Independence, a nonprofit in Costa Mesa, wrapped and delivered thousands of everyday items to adults with developmental disabilities over the holidays.
Along with hundreds of dollars in cash and gift cards, the organization’s volunteers brought games and myriad household products to its clients.
Many of the items were donated by users of the website nextdoor.com, according to a statement from the nonprofit, while Vandana and Vineet Unadkat, the owners of the Simple Greek restaurant in Fullerton, prepared and donated 100 meals to the cause.
“Both Vandana and I are very thankful for the opportunity that we are getting to give back to our community through this partnership with Project Independence,” Vineet Unadket said.
In addition to the holiday deliveries, Project Independence hosted an online party via Zoom in December. More than 50 people participated and took their chances with raffles for backpacks donated by Jean Kim and Amazon and Target gift cards donated by the Shubin family.
For more information or to donate to Project Independence, visit proindependence.org.
Franks named CEO for 2 new hospitals
Phillip W. Franks was named the system CEO for two hospitals planned to open next year in Orange County.
The new hospitals will be South Coast Behavioral Healthcare, a 119-bed psychiatric facility in Aliso Viejo and Anaheim Community Hospital, a 98-bed acute medical hospital.
“It’s exciting work opening both of these hospitals,” said Franks. “We plan to offer specialized services that are currently in short supply for both children and adults in Orange County.”
Franks joined Signature Healthcare Services, the umbrella company for the two hospitals, in December 2020. Previously, he was the director of system operations for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Service and the vice president of operations and support services at Kaiser Permanente in Santa Clara.
He comes from a military background where he served in the army as a medical operations officer in the 40th infantry division in Los Alamitos, a director of medical evacuation and safety in the 62nd Medical Brigade in Tacoma, Wash. and was deployed numerous times as a medical officer and Black Hawk helicopter pilot.
Signature Healthcare started as the parent company of psychiatric facilities in Los Angeles and San Diego in 2000. It grew to build more hospitals, including senior living facilities, throughout California, Arizona, Illinois, Texas, Massachusetts and Nevada. The two hospitals opening in 2021 will be the company’s first in Orange County.
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