Slater Davies - Firefighter / Paramedic

As a Firefighter/Paramedic (FF/PM) at Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Fire Station 64 in the heart of Watts, Los Angeles, Slater Davies has seen his share of incidents. FF/PM Davies has responded to calls ranging from people jumping off the 110 Freeway interchange, and surviving, to metro rail rescues, and everything in between.

“You’d be surprised at how resilient the human body can be,” he reflected.

But one incident that stands out in his mind occurred on the 4th of July in 2023. Fireworks had exploded in the hands of a six-year-old girl. Her hands were severely burned, and she was in complete shock as she sat on the gurney, tended to by FF/PM Davies and his fellow paramedics. The mom was understandably upset, and FF/PM Davies had to help redirect and de-escalate her panic all while doing his job to save the young girl.

After reminding her that what was most important at present was keeping her child calm and ensuring that she was going to be okay, the mother listened, and her daughter survived.

Firefighters often wear multiple hats when responding to calls, especially those for emergency medical services (EMS). FF/PM Davies emphasized that even with extensive and frequent training, they are guaranteed to find themselves in a situation where they must use their best judgment to deal with all aspects of the incident accordingly.  

This ability to pivot and respond effectively to uniquely high-stress situations is reflective of the eight years that FF/PM Davies spent in the military. After a year of college at California State University, Fullerton, FF/PM Davies joined as a combat medic in 2013. He worked with a ground ambulance company and did humanitarian missions in El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, and beyond, providing medical support for engineers and at schools and clinics.

While in the army reserves, FF/PM Davies decided it was time to pursue the career he really wanted and began using his available time to prepare to join the LAFD. He worked with an emergency medical technician (EMT) company for a year, took several fire science classes, and trained physically to prepare to be a firefighter. In 2015, at 25 years old, FF/PM Davies passed the test and started his recruit journey at LAFD Drill Tower 81, all while still being in the reserves.

Never one to shy away from new things, in 2018, FF/PM Davies went to paramedic school and received his certification. He had a few friends in the fire service who were paramedics at LAFD Fire Station 64, and had done some overtime shifts there himself. Fellow paramedics advised him to go to a busy spot first to gain experience, learn quickly, and be better prepared to rotate to other stations.

FF/PM Davies volunteered to go to Fire Station 64, to the surprise of colleagues who had been assigned there without a choice. Four years later, having left the reserves in 2021, he is proud to work at his current station. The high volume of EMS calls and the perceived reputation of the Watts community make it one of the more challenging LAFD fire stations, but FF/PM Davies has a different perspective.

One of his favorite aspects of working at Fire Station 64 is the diversity of people, communities, and calls. “There are actually snakes in Watts,” FF/PM Davies laughed, reflecting on more than one call that he’s responded to involving the nefarious reptiles – both real and imagined.

The most rewarding calls, FF/PM Davies described, are those where the victim survives against all odds. He recalls having been in the ambulance with shooting victims, worried that they weren’t going to make it, doing everything possible to save their lives. There’s no greater validation than hearing from the hospital that their efforts were successful and that a life was saved.

When asked what keeps him coming back to work every day, FF/PM Davies says the variety and camaraderie. “Every day is different,” he shared. “You never know what your first call is going to be, you never know what your last call is going to be.”

FF/PM Davies attributes his ability to do his job to the best of his ability to his family. He describes his wife as his biggest fan and biggest supporter. “She’s one of a kind,” he added, emphasizing the hard work she does at home every day to give their one- and three-year-old girls the best life possible.    

To those considering a career in the fire service, FF/PM Davies says, “just got for it. Believe in yourself, and anything is possible.”

“If you fail, you still learn,” he added.