Building Firefighters. Developing Leaders.
Born from loss, built for impact. We equip the next generation of firefighters with the training, scholarships, and mentorship to serve with courage, and lead beyond the firehouse.
- Honoring a fourth-generation firefighter
- Est. in memory of Colton Ridge Tibbetts, 2002–2026
Our Purpose
We exist to transform tragedy into legacy, building pathways that develop not just firefighters, but leaders.
Our Purpose
Florida is running short on firefighters
Demand is climbing, the workforce is aging out, and the cost of getting certified is turning good people away before they ever pull on the gear.
1,469
3,961
$6,241
40yr
A Fourth-Generation Firefighter
He carried a legacy. Now we carry his.
Colton Ridge Tibbetts was the fourth generation of his family to answer the call, following his father, grandfather, and uncle into the fire service. He joined the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department in 2022 and earned promotion to Rescue Engineer at just twenty-two.
He was tough as nails and endlessly kind, a young man who loved his faith, his family, and the people around him. We lost him on March 26, 2026, at twenty-three. This foundation is how his family makes sure the courage he lived by keeps showing up for others.
Four generations of firefighters
What We Do
From first spark to full career
We meet aspiring firefighters where they are (in the classroom, at the academy, and on the job) and walk with them into a life of service and leadership.
Colton Ridge Tibbetts Legacy Scholarships
Named scholarships that cover tuition, training, and equipment, so cost never stops a called firefighter from serving.
Mentorship
Active and retired firefighters guiding recruits on career, leadership, and life: the wisdom that isn’t in a textbook.
Recognition & Legacy
Ceremonies, permanent honors, and storytelling that keep courage visible and recipients’ achievements celebrated.
How Your Gift Works
Every dollar clears a path to the firehouse
You give
A one-time or recurring gift, powered entirely by community, in Colton Ridge's name.
We invest
Funds go straight to scholarships, training, gear, and mentorship for aspiring firefighters.
They serve
A called firefighter gets certified, hired, and ready to protect their community for decades.
Stand With Us
Give what you’re moved to give
There is no set amount. Whatever is on your heart, once or monthly, goes straight to a called firefighter’s training.
Donation Form Here
Founded by Family
From Grief to Giving.
Jody and Brian Tibbetts, Colton Ridge’s parents, and his brother Austin built this foundation to take the person Colton Ridge was and turn it into help for the firefighters coming up behind him.
It’s a family effort, rooted in a family calling: generous, driven, and all about other people. That’s the whole idea: take what he gave, and keep giving it.
The Tibbetts family
In the News
A community that turned out
Clay County Fire Rescue
Honoring a fallen JFRD engineer
The procession and tribute for Engineer Colton Ridge Tibbetts.
News4Jax
“Just a fine young man”
Keystone Heights gathers to remember the 23-year-old engineer.
Action News Jax
A fourth-generation firefighter remembered
Friends and colleagues reflect on his character and calling.
Honor the Fallen. Equip the Future.
Help one more answer the call
Your gift becomes a scholarship, and that scholarship becomes a firefighter, another life shaped by the courage Colton Ridge gave.