Oscar Cespedes, Firefighter/EIT

“This organization has given so much to me. I’m humbled by this honor.”

Oscar Cespedes knew from an early age that he wanted to be a firefighter. His father raised him to focus on helping others and be a productive member of the community. Oscar remembers watching footage of firefighters from the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) charging into dangerous situations on the news. “As a firefighter, you had to be a jack-of-all-trades.”

A family friend, Engineer Pedro Alonzo (retired LAFD), nurtured Oscar’s interest in pursuing a career in public safety. “[Pedro] gave me his old turnout gear and encouraged me to join the [LAFD] Explorer Program. I actually ended up right here, at Fire Station 98.”

Oscar’s father encouraged him to pursue this passion, and soon he was on his way to becoming a firefighter. “There were a lot of departments hiring, but I knew it had to be the LAFD. It is the best fire department in the world, and I wanted to be a part of it.”

Now, 21 years after first donning the uniform, Oscar has trained as an Emergency Incident Technician and serves as the Chief’s Adjutant for Battalion 12. “It’s an important and challenging role. When someone hits that ‘mayday,’ we’re the safety net.” Working as an EIT means supporting an incident from a macro perspective, tracking the movement of individual firefighters through the chaos and confusion of any operation. “It’s command and control, keeping things organized, managing resources, and coming up with plans in case things go sideways.”

Oscar attributes his success as the Chief’s Adjutant to his daughter Brooke. “When she came into my life, it changed everything. I knew I would do anything to take care of her, and that meant taking better care of myself too. It meant approaching my job with more maturity and care. In this position, that [mindset] is how you keep everyone else safe.”

Captain Steve Lopez pushed for Oscar’s recognition. “He’s not just a great firefighter. He’s a great person. One of the best people I’ve worked with.” Captain Gregory Galvez of fire station 98 agrees.

“Firefighter Cespedes works hard and looks after you. A great guy to have on the team.”

In the future, Oscar aims to continue his career with the LAFD.

“When I was younger, playing sports or in martial arts, I always sought out leadership roles. I was a peer trainer at the Drill Tower, and throughout my career I’ve looked for ways to keep learning and training. No matter where I am, my goal is the same: I want to make sure that when I leave, I made things better for you.”

Oscar remains humbled by being named Firefighter of the Month. “I mean, it’s these guys [gestures toward the fire station] doing the hard work. They deserve this. Everyone deserves recognition.” He expresses continued gratitude for his time with the LAFD and looks forward to the future. “In the LAFD, one person can be a solution. Someone you can rely on.”