Our Mission

Our mission is to honor the unwavering commitment and service of First Responders throughout Los Angeles County. We achieve this by acknowledging the unique challenges of their professions, celebrating their successes, and providing support in times of need.

The Foundation works with fire, EMS, and police departments to complement their missions and support their personnel. We develop and share outreach efforts to combat burnout and restore the human touch in a job filled with extraordinary moments.

Our History

The First Responders Honor Foundation was established to recognize and support those who do an impossible job. Realizing that there are times when action needs to be taken immediately and not wait for budget cycles, a group of community leaders came together to empower spontaneous projects to be implemented quickly when they are most needed.

First Responders Honor Foundation Board of Directors

  • Cathy Chidester

    Director (Retired), Los Angeles County EMS Agency

  • Jacob Cohen

    Chairman/Founder, First Responders Honor Foundation

  • Marc Cohen, MD, FAEMS

    President, First Responders Honor Foundation

  • Lt. David DeMetz

    Law Enforcement Officer

  • Marianne Gausche-Hill, MD, FACEP, FAAP, FAEMS

    Professor Clinical Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

    Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics

  • Jonnie Kedj

    Vice President, Development and Strategic Initiatives

  • Nancy Mayer

    Vice President, Strategy

  • Jenn Nulty

    EMS Coordinator, Torrance Fire Department

  • Theodore Peters

    General Counsel