After 18 Years, Ontario and New York Firefighters Play Final ‘Fire on Ice’ Hockey Match at Toyota Arena Jan. 18

The final chapter of an 18-year tradition will unfold on January 18 when the Ontario Fire Department takes on the New York Fire Department in the last-ever “Fire on Ice” hockey game at Toyota Arena. The puck drops at 1 p.m. for the charity match, with proceeds benefiting the Ray Pfeifer Foundation, which assists 9/11 first responders, and the daughters of Ontario Fire Department Firefighter Paramedic Javan Settles, who passed away on December 19, 2024. 

Tickets cost $10 and include admission to both the firefighters’ game and the Ontario Reign minor league hockey matchup that follows. An energetic chili cook-off will greet attendees at the door, where donations of any amount grant guests a tasting bracelet and the chance to sample chili from eight competing firehouse teams. Half of those proceeds will go into the department’s 501(c)(3), while the other half—this year—will directly support Settles’ daughters.

“The funds raised always go to a good cause and now two good causes this year,” said Ontario Fire Department Firefighter Paramedic Joel Rodas. “A piece of the brotherhood that makes the fire service amazing is coming together for something bigger than ourselves.”

Special “Fire on Ice” merchandise—created by the Ontario firefighters’ union, Local 1430—will be on sale, with proceeds directed to the Settles family. Attendees can also use QR codes on-site to purchase whiskey from Southern Collective Spirit Company, with Apple Pay options available for convenience.

Though the event traditionally alternates between Ontario and New York, this year marks its final skate—a tradition that began in 2008 thanks to New York native Rich Grim. Rodas noted that Ontario and FDNY crews have forged deep bonds over the years, strengthened when West Coast firefighters traveled east to assist after the 9/11 terror attack in New York City.

“Here’s a department on the opposite side of the country,” Rodas said. “It’s something more compounded with the passing of Javan—he’s the only guy I know who ever worked for the FDNY and a fire department in California. Having both departments come together again will bring a sense of brotherhood.”

Settles served five years in the FDNY, then spent over a decade in Long Beach before joining Ontario to pursue a better work-life balance for his daughters. His sudden loss has cast a pall over the station, where close-knit crews share living quarters during shifts and become a second family.

“Javan was the life of the firehouse—always enthusiastic, always had a smile on his face, always encouraging, loving, and supportive,” Rodas said. “He really was the most loving, energetic, determined go-getter. Everything he did was for his daughters.”

Rodas explained that when firefighters lose a colleague, the absence is felt beyond the job itself, lingering in the station’s hallways and empty bunks.

“When something like this happens, it takes a long time, if not a whole career, to adjust,” Rodas said. “There are still times you’re in the fire station hoping they’ll walk through the door. You look at their bed, their locker, and they’re not there anymore. It’s rough.”

Despite the heartache, Rodas hopes the last “Fire on Ice” will embody the spirit Settles brought to the job—unifying firefighters, families, and the community around shared purpose and friendship.

“We’ll never be able to suffice for the life of Javan, but we want his kids to know they have an entire fire department behind them,” Rodas said.

With live music, a DJ, and local breweries on tap, the January 18 festivities promise a family-friendly celebration of life and service. As the puck drops for the final time, Ontario and New York firefighters will skate side by side—demonstrating yet again that the bonds of firefighting transcend any distance, united in memory and mission. Tickets can be purchased online, here: https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/FireOnIce.