Cory Meadows - Firefighter

At the busy Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Fire Station 4 in downtown Los Angeles, located near the Los Angeles County jail, skid row, and five major freeway junctions, one never quite knows what a typical day could look like. Having a firefighter like Cory Meadows, whom his captain calls the station’s “Swiss Army knife,” is an invaluable asset for a station with such diverse incidents.

Meadows’s experience becomes even more important because Fire Station 4 is the “first-in”, or first response station, for the County jail. The high percentage of calls that the station receives from the jail can range from chest pain to injuries from brawls, making the Fire Station 4 crew an active healthcare resource for prisoners.

Firefighter Meadows’s EMT certification and prior ambulance experience make him a unique resource when it comes to addressing the myriad needs of the jail and the surrounding community.

Other calls ranging from freeway jumpers to grass fires, high-rise, and commercial structure fires are the norm to the crew at Fire Station 4, which keeps Firefighter Meadows constantly learning and on his toes.

He recalled the first incident that exemplified the seriousness of what he had signed up for when he joined the fire service. A textile company was ablaze, with fire bursting upwards through the roof. The crew’s initial strategy was to use the backdoor to gain access, but the wall and the door were glowing red from the intense heat. They pivoted quickly to find a new point of entry that better ensured the safety of everyone on the scene.

That moment was one of many that reminded Firefighter Meadows how important both training and gut instinct are to developing expertise on the job. As a newer firefighter with three and a half years on the job, the desire to learn as much as possible keeps him in constant search of better ways to glean information that will make him a better firefighter – on the scene and at the station.

Firefighter Meadows’s father was a Los Angeles County firefighter, and his youngest memories are backdropped by life in and around the fire station.

“You spend a third of your life at the station while you’re on the job, and probably even more than that,” said Firefighter Meadows. For most, this sentiment would be a deterrent. But for Firefighter Meadows, it made the desire to become a firefighter even stronger.

Starting early on the track to serve others, Firefighter Meadows worked at his local community pool as a lifeguard through high school. Immediately after, he received his emergency medical training (EMT) certification and began working for a private ambulance company while he applied to fire departments across California.

He continued to work at various private ambulance companies and picked up odd jobs to make ends meet while continuing to pursue the department where he would start his career.

Without classmates or friends that were pursuing the same goal, Firefighter Meadows functioned in a bit of a silo as he pursued his passion for the fire service. He also strategically applied everywhere but Los Angeles County, wanting to forge his own path and not follow in the direct footsteps of his father.

“I was beyond excited,” he said of receiving a job offer from the LAFD. After the drill tower, he moved through his probationary stations, LAFD Fire Station 12 in Central Los Angeles and Fire Station 64 in Watts. The range of incidents and pace of calls differed at each station, but both provided Firefighter Meadows with a wide spectrum of experiences that proved beneficial after his probationary period ended at Fire Station 4.

“There’s a lot of education to be had in being busy,” he chuckled.

“You’re walking around with a teacup that you need filled with information, and everyone you meet has gallons of water,” Firefighter Meadows often tells recruits who come through Fire Station 4. “You have to get as much [education] as you can.”

When he reflects on his journey and the time it took to be where he is today, Firefighter Meadows could not imagine himself doing any other job. To firefighter hopefuls who may be facing challenges with the process, he says, “Don’t expect it to happen tomorrow, and don’t get discouraged.” It may take more than one try, but Firefighter Meadows encourages those who are serious about a career with the LAFD to keep at it. “It’s good to have that drive early on because some days, it just doesn’t stop.”

After the tumultuous years of uncertainty, applying and interviewing, not knowing what the outcome would be, Firefighter Meadows remembered holding the weight of the badge in his hand on graduation day in 2021.

When he looks back on the path, he knows that it was all worth it to be where he is now, serving others and keeping the City of Los Angeles safe.

“Even after we get beat up by this work, day in and day out, I’m coming back tomorrow.”