The pioneering legacy of Hershel L. Clady was recently recognized by Los Angeles County with the dedication of the Ladera Heights Station 58 in his honor.
Second District Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone, and members of the Clady participated a ceremony on Feb. 17, to pay tribute to Clady, who passed away last year. Other participants included Johnny Gray III, president of the L.A. County Stentorians; retired County Fire Chief Daryl Osby, retired Fire Captain Brent Burton.
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Clady was the first Black fire captain and later assistant chief in L.A. County Fire Department. In 1969, he became one of the county’s first African American firefighters where he fought for diversity, equity, and equal rights. Clady retired in 2000 after 31 years of service.
According to Johnny Gray III, president of the L.A. County Stentorians, Clady was a trailblazer and role model for Black firefighters. Clady’s “leadership and advocacy paved the way for our future generation of firefighters,” insisted Gray.
“Hershel led the LACoFD’s first all-Black firefighter crew at Fire Station 58 in Ladera Heights and served as the president of the Los Angeles County Stentorians,” Gray said.
“His unwavering commitment led to Fire Station 58 becoming a training center that produced hundreds of firefighters, not only for the LACoFD, but also for surrounding fire agencies,” he noted and added that Station 58 came to be known as “Clady’s Station.”
