From fighting fires to fighting racism, a conversation with LA County Fire Chief Osby

LOS ANGELES - “When my Dad was a firefighter I thought they all just brought their own food to work. I didn’t know until later that you eat as a crew. But because he was African American, he had to eat by himself,” says LA County Fire Chief Daryl Osby.

Osby opening up about the racism his father endured as a San Diego firefighter in the 1960s. Chief Osby’s Dad, Robert, persevered the racial divides to become Chief of multiple departments before retiring in Oceanside. That experience all those years ago helps explain how Chief Osby runs his department that includes some 5,000 employees.

“Because I saw those things it makes me ultra-sensitive in relation to ensuring that I do all I can to ensure that people have opportunities to come to this profession,” says Osby.

Since becoming LA County’s first African American fire chief in 2011, Osby has worked to increase diversity within his department that’s 87% male, 58% Caucasian, 28% Hispanic, 6% Asian and 6% Black. He admits there’s still more work to do.

That’s why Chief Osby helped start an organization called CORDI – Community Outreach, Recruitment, Diversity, Inclusion.  It’s one of the department’s programs designed to reach youth in the classroom and inner city to help change the narrative.

“We didn’t get our first African American firefighter in my department until 1953. When you think of this from a perspective of a career, it’s typically not something that an African American would choose,” says Osby.

Currently in his 36th year with the LA County Fire Department, Chief Osby’s journey in his father’s footsteps carries on. And while the mission is to protect property and save lives, so is:  “Ensuring we have an organization that is culturally accepting of all ethnicities, all beliefs,” says Chief Osby.

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