A GoFundMe has been set up to support James Mellor, a Santa Barbara County fire captain who is out of work after suffering a stroke. The fundraiser will provide Mellor and his wife with financial support as he undergoes medical treatment and rehabilitation.
Mellor has spent more than 20 years in the fire service. He began his career in Santa Lucia Crew 7, a seasonal firefighting handcrew that draws heavily from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo students. He continued on to the Los Padres Hotshots, an elite crew of wildland firefighters which performs highly specialized, demanding work, tackling the most challenging parts of a wildfire. Mellor now serves as a captain for Santa Barbara County Fire.
Firefighter Matt Brody attested to Mellor’s strong character and leadership in the GoFundMe description.
“Anyone who knows James knows he would do absolutely anything for anyone, at any time,” wrote Brody. “He is the kind of man who has consistently put the needs of others before his own, leading by example and setting the standard for what it means to serve with integrity, strength, and compassion.”
Brody wrote that Mellor has made a profound impact on his colleagues and is admired as a mentor, leader, and “guiding light.”
A spokesperson for Santa Barbara County Fire said that Mellor’s family is refraining from public comment as they focus on supporting Mellor’s recovery.
Mellor’s fundraiser has drawn support from local community members as well as firefighting crews and unions across the state, among them Santa Lucia Crew 7. It remains open for donations. The money raised will assist Mellor with “medical expenses, lost income, and ongoing recovery costs,” wrote Brody.
“Let’s rally around James and Julie the way James has always rallied around all of us,” wrote Brody. You can find Captain Mellor’s GoFundMe at https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-captain-james-mellors-recovery.
