​Santa Ana, CA – At a regularly scheduled Board of Trustees meeting on September 10th, the Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD) Board of Trustees commemorated the anniversary of the September 11 attacks by honoring first responders who put their lives on the line every day to protect the community. The college district invited representatives from Orange County law enforcement and fire departments as well as the college districts own safety and security department for the special recognition.

In addition to providing a personal thank you to all first responders in attendance at the board meeting, trustees presented individual certificates of appreciation to each agency. Board members were also asked to read excerpts from a resolution honoring first responders in the Rancho Santiago Community College District. This resolution refers to September 11, 2001 as “…when our nation was changed forever by the attacks that killed 2,977 people and injured over 6,000 others. Out of this tragedy came a heightened appreciation for first responders, the men and women who put their lives on the line to protect the public in times of danger, 403 of whom lost their lives that day.”

“Due to their daily commitment to protecting the public, we can continue in our work of advocating for higher education and positively changing the lives of our students. Without our First Responders' dedication and sacrifice, we would not be able to focus on the critical goal of educating our communities and improving their quality of life. As you may know, these First Responders are trained in our programs with partners, such as the Santa Ana Fire Academy and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. These programs have an extensive history of service to our community, similar to our district. It is evident that this commitment to education and promise to protect and serve our students come full circle in our communities each day," said Nelida Mendoza, President of the RSCCD Board of Trustees.

The following law enforcement and fire departments were on hand for this recognition ceremony: Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Costa Mesa Police Department, Santa Ana Police Department, Tustin Police Department; Rancho Santiago Community College District Safety and Security Department, Orange County Fire Authority, Huntington Beach Fire Department, Santa Ana College Basic Fire Academy.

To read the full text of the Rancho Santiago Community College District Board of Trustees Resolution No. 18-18, please follow this link.

About Rancho Santiago Community College District
Santa Ana College and Santiago Canyon College are public community colleges of the Rancho Santiago Community College District, which serves the residents of Anaheim Hills, Orange, Santa Ana, Villa Park, and portions of Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Irvine, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, and Tustin. Both colleges provide education for academic transfer and careers, courses for personal and professional development, and customized training for business and industry.