One805 Presents Check for $90,000 to Santa Barbara County Fire

One805 is delighted to announce the donation of $90,000 to Santa Barbara County Fire, specifically to expand the capability of the new SBC Fire Department 964 Firehawk helicopter to perform medevac operations. The presentation, by One805 CEO Eric Phillips, to County Fire Chief Mark A. Hartwig, took place at the Santa Barbara County Air Support Unit in Santa Ynez.

One805 is delighted to announce the donation of $90,000 to Santa Barbara County Fire, specifically to expand the capability of the new SBC Fire Department 964 Firehawk helicopter to perform medevac operations. The presentation, by One805 CEO Eric Phillips, to County Fire Chief Mark A. Hartwig, took place at the Santa Barbara County Air Support Unit in Santa Ynez.

The Santa Barbara County Air Support Unit (ASU) is a public safety aviation unit comprised of Santa Barbara County Fire Department and Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office employees. Santa Barbara County is fortunate to have this air asset and aviation program, which adds significantly to its public safety capability. Countless people have been rescued, missing people found and fires quickly suppressed that otherwise would not have been, were it not for these air resources. The recent addition of the SBC Fire Department 964 Firehawk to the fleet has dramatically boosted the range, duration and capability of the Air Support Unit.

The funds, a portion of which were donated by Dr. Victoria Mann Simms and Ronald Simms, were raised over the course of 2022 and specifically earmarked for the Firehawk. “One805 is constantly looking to provide support to our First Responders by providing equipment they are not easily able to fund through normal budget channels. This conversion kit will directly save lives, county-wide, and add to the already versatile mix of operations the Firehawk is able to perform” said Kirsten Cavendish Weston Smith, One805 Co-Founder and Executive Board Member.

One805, founded in the aftermath of the Thomas Fire and Debris Flow, is a permanent 501(c)(3) corporation, raising funds for all three First Responder groups – Fire, Police, and Sheriff – purchasing equipment, supporting public safety & taking care of those who take care of us. It is the only organization that allows donors to help all of our First Responders with one donation, and all the Chiefs of Santa Barbara County’s First Responders sit on it’s Advisory Council.