Meet Brett From The LAFD
Tell us a little about yourself and what inspired you to become a firefighter
I’m Brett, a firefighter, dad of three and husband. I work for the City of Los Angeles where I drive the ladder truck for Fire Station 2. I currently work in East L.A. (Boyle Heights), but have spent the majority of my 12 years on the job in Downtown L.A., Skid Row. I started my career as Wildland Firefighter on a Hot Shot crew, traveling the country fighting wildfires in remote locations for months on end. Ever since I could remember, I wanted to be a fireman. Drive the big truck, rescue the cat from the tree... that whole thing. But when I started studying the job in college I fell in love with it because of the community interaction, the challenge and variation of calls, and the brotherhood within the station.
When I’m not running calls, I’m usually with my three kids enjoying the beach, going on camping trips, playing baseball with my two boys (go Dodgers!) and strapping my 18 month old girl to the front of my bike and going for a ride.
What are the most fulfilling and challenging aspects in your line of work?
Like every service job, I get to see the best and worst of the city. It can be dangerous and stressful…being up all night, seeing what we see everyday when responding to a wide variety of calls. But in the end, there is a great deal of satisfaction by providing such a valuable service to the community. My crew are like my brothers. We rely on each other and we have one common goal—to provide and protect the public.
How impactful was 2020 for you as a firefighter?
2020 has been a crazy year to be working as a firefighter in L.A. It started with, Kobe (RIP), followed by the Los Angeles wildfires. The riots took the city hostage…then COVID struck us and changed our fire department, community and put a—usually revived, upbeat and growing city—to sleep. Working through that and seeing more people forced to homelessness and small business shop owners close up was hard to see. But as a firefighter and constant figure in the community, we are hopeful and plan to help L.A. come back stronger than ever.
What do you like about selvedge denim?
I’m an active guy. Besides playing with my kids, I love to skateboard and as I’ve gotten older (and wiser) I’ve learned to only have in my closet what can stand the test of time and still look good. Selvedge denim can take a beating and still look good at the end of the day.
What do you enjoy about KATO's denim
After being in a stiff uniform for several days at a time, my KATO jeans have been my go-to. The second I get home in the morning from work, I have to get ready to be a full time dad. My KATO jeans are what I grab to put on, get comfortable and to start my day. Perfect for wrestling the kids or going on a coffee date with my wife.