In this week’s edition of Size-Up, the County of Los Angeles Fire Department (LACoFD) is proud to feature the important work and contributions of the Stentorians of Los Angeles County (Stentorians).
Led by LACoFD Fire Fighter Paramedic Johnny Gray III, Stentorians President, this Association of African Americans in the fire service was founded in 1954. Since then, the Stentorians has worked to help train, mentor, and lead African American and minority firefighters in a successful career in the fire service, as well as shaping the minds and providing career pathway opportunities to community youth.
Over 300 first responders and administrative professionals make up the Stentorians.
“All that I am, I owe, I live eternally in the red… Our mission is to reach back to bring up the next generation of firefighters, providing them with an opportunity that otherwise, they may not have had the chance to experience,” said Stentorians President, Fire Fighter Paramedic Gray. “We owe the trailblazers who paved the way and uplifted us including but not limited to, Arnett Hartsfield, one of the creators of the Stentorians; Van Davis, first African American hired by the LACoFD and the first Stentorians President; Hershel Clady, the first African American to promote at the LACoFD in 1976; Tonya Lee Burns, the first African American female hired by the LACoFD in 1988; and Daryl L. Osby, the first African American LACoFD Fire Chief.”
The Stentorians take pride in career and education progression, and they also make a philanthropic difference in the community through emergency medical technician and college scholarships, fire academy sponsorships, job application assistance, holiday toy drives, and turkey giveaways, to name a few.
Most recently, the Stentorians gave away Dick’s Sporting Good gift cards to community members affected by the Eaton Fire and they held a Life Enrichment Summer Program for female foster youth to learn from professional female leaders in different fields. A local city mayor, Federal Bureau of Investigation agent, firefighter, and business owner, were on hand to teach basic skills and set the foundation to help foster youth achieve career readiness.
The LACoFD expresses its gratitude to the Stentorians for selflessly serving the community and promoting the advancement of others.
For more information or to join the Stentorians, visit LA County Stentorians.
