By Brady MacDonald
The Orange County Register
LOS ANGELES — Disneyland threw a parade on Main Street U.S.A. for first responders who tackled the devastating wildfires that destroyed swaths of Pacific Palisades and Altadena to thank them for their heroic efforts.
Disneyland hosted a Heroes Salute Cavalcade on Monday, May 5 along the entry promenade of the Anaheim theme park to mark the first day of the free Heroes Ticket offer for first responders who fought on the front lines of the Los Angeles County fires in January.
“Disneyland really stepped up, not only for the people who responded, but for their families as well,” Los Angeles Fire Department’s Adam VanGerpen said after the cavalcade.
The L.A. Fire public information officer spent 28 days as the face and voice of the department in the weeks following the devastating fires.
VanGerpen rode down Main Street U.S.A. with his brother, Ian, a fellow L.A. firefighter, in the back of the Disneyland firetruck next to Mickey and Minnie. The brothers — dressed in matching LA Strong t-shirts and Mouseketeer hats — waved to the thousands of fans along the parade route who cheered for the first responders.
“At first we thought it was because of us,” Adam VanGerpen said during an interview in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle. “But then we’re like, ‘Oh, we’re sitting right next to Mickey.’”
First responders from the Los Angeles, Pasadena and the Sierra Madre fire departments and officers from the Los Angeles Police Department filled Main Street U.S.A. vehicles as they paraded through the park.
Dozens of Disney characters waving ribbons marched alongside the procession, including Peter Pan, Pocahontas, Aladdin, Mary Poppins, Pinocchio and the Mad Hatter.
Members of the Disneyland Fire Department gathered in front of the Main Street Cinema to pay tribute to their fellow firefighters.
Among them were Dave and Mark McLean, father and son firefighters who work together in the Disneyland Fire Department. Mark McLean spent 23 days battling the devastating wildfires with his fellow Los Angeles City firefighters.
Disneyland is offering two free one-day Park Hopper tickets to first responders from Monday through Aug. 7. First responders need to make a theme park reservation in advance to use the free tickets that are good on Mondays through Thursdays.
The Disneyland Heroes Ticket offer is good for California firefighters, Los Angeles law enforcement officers, Los Angeles emergency medical technicians and other mutual aid assistance departments who helped combat the Los Angeles fires in January.
Disneyland has sent information directly to qualifying fire, police and sheriff’s departments on eligibility, verification and registration requirements.
Disney is donating $25 to the American Red Cross from the sale of every LA Strong t-shirt featuring Mickey Mouse to help those impacted by the Southern California wildfires.
Disney donation drives have collected more than 200,000 essential items for victims of the Altadena and Pacific Palisades fires.
The Walt Disney Company has donated $15 million to fire relief efforts in the Los Angeles area.
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