The Los Angeles Rams, no strangers to eye-opening draft locations, will be making their 2025 picks from… a fire-station.

General manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay will decamp from their usual surroundings at the Rams’ facilities to take their draft headquarters to Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Air Operations as a means of honouring the first responders who protect the city they call home.

“Drafting from LAFD Air Operations is a powerful reminder of what it means to represent Los Angeles,” Rams president Kevin Demoff explained. “Since the wildfires devastated our region in January, we have looked to bring LA together to help with the recovery efforts, raise the spirits of those impacted and shine a light on our first responders. We are humbled to partner with LAFD during one of the NFL’s biggest moments to express gratitude for those who risk their lives daily to protect our city.”

With support from Zillow, the Rams and LAFD will convert a room within LAFD Air Operations, as well as an adjacent hangar, to serve as space for coaches, scouts, team personnel and media who are on-site during the three-day event. LAFD Air Operations, however, will be fully operational during the draft.

The Rams will also work with Zillow to renovate LAFD Air Operation’s recreation room, creating a more comfortable space that feels like home for firefighters to rest between callouts during their 24-hour shifts. Recliners for the recreation room will be provided by Rams partner Bob’s Discount Furniture.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Los Angeles Rams for their unwavering support of the Los Angeles City Fire Department and our wildfire-impacted communities,” said interim fire chief Ronnie Villanueva. “Hosting the NFL Draft at LAFD Air Operations highlights the critical role our Air Operations plays in protecting Los Angeles, especially during wildfire season. The Rams’ generosity — renovating our station and recognising our firefighters — demonstrates a deep commitment to the city we all serve.”

On Friday morning, prior to Day 2 of the draft, the Rams will welcome additional first responders from throughout the region who assisted with the fires for a chalk talk with McVay, Demoff and other Rams executives.

The Rams have been supporting wildfire recovery efforts throughout the year, hosting two major distribution events for evacuated families, putting on football clinics for impacted youth — including hosting 250 LA County Care Camp students affected by the Eaton Fire for a field trip to SoFi Stadium — delivering meals to fire stations and base camps, donating backpacks and distributing merchandise through Rams players and coaches, cheerleaders and mascot Rampage. Former players Aaron Donald, Andrew Whitworth and Todd Gurley have visited base camps and distributed essential items, while quarterback Matthew Stafford and his wife Kelly gifted Pasadena High School and Pasadena Panthers Youth Football programmes with new uniforms and football equipment to replace those lost in the wildfires. To date, the Rams have donated nearly $2m to fire relief efforts, including a $1m donation from The Kroenke Family Foundation to LAFD Foundation.