Recently, representatives from the San Diego State University Police Department, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, and San Diego Police Department were invited to a celebration in their honor.
Residents of the College Area wished to express their gratitude for their numerous contributions to public safety, which included the amazing multi-agency response that helped evacuate affected communities and bring the approximately 40-acre Montezuma Fire under control on Halloween, 2024.
Julie Hamilton, president of the College Area Community Council, and other board members were principally responsible for organizing the first First Responders Appreciation Day.
With San Diego State University students and full-time citizens living together, the College Area is a distinctive and fascinating area of San Diego. Our first responders do an excellent job of keeping the peace and keeping us all safe, and the College Area Community Council, along with its member organizations and people, constantly seeks to work with and support them. We wanted to express our gratitude to all of the first responders who provide such excellent care for our town.
With a welcome by Hamilton and remarks from District 9 Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera, SDFD Battalion Chief Craig Newell, SDPD Captain Martha Sainz, SDSU-PD Assistant Chief Hank Turner, and Fatima Maciel, the District 9 Representative for Mayor Todd Gloria, about 30 first responders were able to attend the late-afternoon celebrations.
In order to personally honor the vital job done by firefighters, police officers, and other first responders, Elo-Rivera participated in the event.
According to Elo-Rivera, first responders are crucial even if there are many other elements involved in building a safe neighborhood. Because of this, it is crucial that we express our gratitude to the public personnel who act quickly to save lives and put themselves in risk. I have again witnessed the significance of the work done by our first responders.
The Montezuma Fire in October of last year gave me a clearer perspective on the significance of that job than any other time. While police officers hurried to get neighbors safely out of their homes, firefighters raced to a flaming canyon and coordinated with allies from throughout the area. When the curtains were drawn back, it was a unique moment, and I was in awe of what I witnessed in the most wonderful ways.
Two first responders honored
For their tremendous personal efforts to protect the College Area and the adjoining Mid-City communities, two first responders received recognition.
In addition to a City Council Proclamation designating June 26, 2025, as Joshua Cummings Day and Dallas Higgins Day, they were each given a special Mayoral Certificate of Recognition.
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From the Mid-City Police Station, Cummings operates.
For more than 11 years, he has been a dedicated and caring police officer. He spent more than 20 years as a United States Marine before that.
In his present position as a community relations officer, Cummings collaborates with locals, entrepreneurs, and others to resolve neighborhood problems and develop chances to improve public safety.
He accomplishes this, for example, by serving as the leader of the Mid-City Homeless Coalition, which meets at the Landis Street police station on the fourth Tuesday of every month.
He brings together local people, leaders of community-based organizations like PATH (People Assisting the Homeless) and Fire Safe Councils, and employees from city departments like Environmental Services and Parks & Recreation.
They examine service gaps for homeless community members, provide monthly reports, and try to reduce the risks of encampments in canyon settings, such as the possibility of fires starting.
Businesses along El Cajon Boulevard are collaborating with locals to enhance neighborhood safety as a result of Officer Cummings’ efforts.
Having been with the fire department for almost 18 years, Higgins has a reputation for acting bravely and with fast thinking.
He has been employed at Chamoune Avenue’s Station 17 for the past six years.
Higgins was recognized with acting quickly to start organizing the eventual 18-agency response to save lives and property at the Montezuma Fire, when he was the first captain on the site.
He was able to identify the fire’s explosive potential in a palm grove along Montezuma Road between Fairmount Avenue and Collwood Boulevard because of his extensive knowledge of the neighborhoods he serves.
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In order to reduce the spread of the fire, he promptly requested Cal Fire support to drop a retardant and upgraded the department’s reaction. In 2016, Captain Higgins was also awarded a Medal of Valor for saving two kids from a Mount Hope house fire.
A huge thank you to all the other first responders who answer the call to serve in the city of San Diego, and congratulations to both award recipients.
Donors made the Appreciate Day event possible
The taco bar, pad Thai, pizza, Greek salad, and many more options were loved by the first responders and other community members who attended this celebration.
Carnitas Uruapan, Cheba Hut, Corbin’s Q, Dirty Birds, Eureka, Garden Fresh, Keg N Bottle, Milo’s Pizzeria, Penelope’s Mexican Food, Sala Thai, San Diego Blenders, and the newcomer to the area, Sci-Eats, all donated food.
Additional sponsors of the event included IQ Graphics, San Diego County Credit Union, Friends of the College-Rolando Library, Hanken Cono Assad & Co., and Featheringill Mortuary.
The College Area Business District is where each of these companies is situated. Thank you to all of these event donors on behalf of the College Area Community Council.
Alvarado Estates, one of six designated College Area neighborhoods, is represented by Karen Austin on the CACC Board of Directors.Mesa Colony, College View Estates, College Area Triangle, Baja, and El Cerrito are the others.
