Crafton Hills College formally introduces the Captain Mike Orland San Manuel Fire Department Engine Bay to the public

Publish Date: Jan. 31, 2026

A fire engine bay is where the mission of public service comes to life every day, a lesson Fire Captain Mike Orland carried with him throughout his career.

On Jan. 31, Crafton Hills College unveiled the newly minted Captain Mike Orland San Manuel Fire Department Engine Bay to hundreds in attendance at a naming ceremony hosted by the Yucaipa-based college, including Orland’s mom, Margie, and colleagues.

“The naming of an engine bay is one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon a firefighter,” said Keith Alexander, a colleague of Orland and chief of the San Manuel Fire Department. “It ensures that every firefighter who walks through these doors remembers the standards that came before them. And today, those standards bare the name of Fire Captain Mike Orland.”

Orland, a Crafton alumnus, last worked with the San Manuel Fire Department until his retirement in 2018. 

Throughout his career, Orland mentored hundreds of academy cadets and firefighters, leaving a legacy of service above self through his work in the fire service and by raising funds for various causes.

Prior to his death in Sept. 2021, at the age of 54, Orland established a scholarship to support Crafton academy cadets who exemplified what it takes to become a firefighter: courage, perseverance, and tenacity. 

His family carries on his legacy by combing through every student essay received every January and August to select cadets for scholarships who possess the characteristics of selflessness and kindness and a “don’t quit” attitude.

“These essays,” shared Mike Orland’s mother, Margie Orland, “give me an opportunity to learn their background and realize the struggles they face but overcame through determination. I always look forward to graduation and to have an opportunity to hear … cadets … speak about the camaraderie and what training at Crafton Hills meant for their team.

“It will be five years since I have spoken to each class [about] Mike’s desire for cadets to have an opportunity to receive this scholarship, and I am honored to continue Michael’s legacy,” she said.

The Michael Orland Scholarship is presented to cadets twice a year. To learn more or to support the scholarship fund, contact the Crafton Hills College Foundation 909-389-3391 or go to www.craftonhills.edu/foundation.

For more information about the college’s Fire Academy, visit www.craftonhills.edu/fireacademy.