Responsibilities:

• Coordinate and organize events as required or requested.
• Demonstrate precision in drill techniques and funeral procedures.
• Exercise proficiency in flag protocol.

Membership: Open to all professional firefighters of the Orange County Fire Authority. The Honor Guard shall be limited to twenty-five members. The Bugler shall hold one of these positions. All members of the Honor Guard are equal in stature and in rank, within the Honor Guard.

When the need to add members has become evident, an organization-wide recruitment shall take place. Announcements shall be sent to each member via Email and shall be posted at each fire station and at various locations at Headquarters.

The selection process shall include:

• Application
• Interview Panel
• Ability to march and follow commands
• Assess commitment to volunteerism
• Assess ability/willingness to attend membership meetings each month

Upon completion of this process, applicants will be banded in either A Band or B Band, according to cumulative scores from each phase of the process. This list shall be confidential to the Honor Guard and shall be administrated by the Secretary.

The Executive Board: Although a member’s rank within the OCFA has no bearing on his position or responsibilities within the Honor Guard, an Executive Board has been created to handle administrative chores. The Executive Board shall consist of five members of the Honor Guard who are elected to two-year terms. The election cycle will alternate to ensure that no more than three of the five positions are filled in any calendar year (excepting vacancies created by hardship).

The five positions of the Executive Board are:

Chairman, 1st Chair, 2nd Chair. Secretary, and Treasurer

Event Participation: All events must be approved by the Executive Board and the Operations Chief, or his designee. All event participation is voluntary. To measure participation, a point system is in place and shall be administrated by the Secretary. See Addendum A for specific details.

A Coordinator shall be chosen for each event or function based on the individual circumstances of each event, (i.e. who volunteers). The Coordinator shall solicit participants, assign duties, arrange for equipment and organize travel plans. Again, there is no rank within the Honor Guard.

Meetings & Practices: There shall be one scheduled meeting & practice each month, lasting two hours. These meetings are mandatory and all members are expected to attend. If unable to attend, a member of the Executive Board must be contacted. Currently the OCFA will pay two hours of overtime (or four hours of backfill) for meetings every other month. Honor Guard Business will be handled first. Remaining time will be spent on practice. All members are encouraged to “call cadence”. This promotes excellence and sustains the ethos that there is no "Rank” in the Honor Guard.

Each meeting shall have a Facilitator. Selection of the Facilitator shall be on a rotation, administrated by the Secretary. The Facilitator for each meeting shall solicit members for items of discussion, shall create and distribute an agenda, and Facilitate the meeting to ensure all items are covered sufficiently. The Facilitator shall then conduct practice and call cadence.

Uniforms: All Honor Guard uniforms and implements will be provided by the OCFA. Uniforms must be maintained in a state of readiness and cleanliness. The cost of maintenance will be the responsibility of the individual member. The cost of repairs or replacement items will be provided by the OCFA by a Purchase Order or reimbursement. The “style” of dress and accoutrements worn by the Honor Guard is agreed upon by majority vote of the twenty-five members of the Honor Guard, with input from the Operations Chief and his Administrative Assistant.

Budget: The Honor Guard shall have a budget tied to the Operations Section and shall be monitored by the Treasurer and the Executive Board, in consultation with the Operations Section Administrative Assistant.

The Operations Chief shall set the budget amount, (currently $1,500 annually). The Budget shall be used for equipment, supplies and materials not offered by the Service Center or the Uniform Center. All purchases shall be approved by the Operations Chief or his designee. Funds for travel are not counted against this budget.

Funds for Travel: Currently the Honor Guard participates in two events requiring significant travel arrangements; The IAFF’s Fallen Firefighter’s Memorial in Colorado Springs, CO, and the National Fallen Firefighter’s Memorial in Emmitsburg, MD. Given that these events involve two of the OCFA’s ancillary associations, Local 3631 and the Benevolent Association, solicitation of funds from these organizations is encouraged.

The cost of travel for other events shall be determined by the circumstances surrounding those particular events.

Protocol and Procedures: See Addendum C for the step by step breakdown of protocol for the following:

•  Flag Procedures
•  Funeral Procedures
•  Parades
• Other Functions:
  • Tribute
  • Badge/Promotion Ceremonies
  • Station Dedications

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