In August of 2003, the Fire Department asked UFLAC for input on suggestions for a new shoulder patch design for the LAFD uniform. Interested members were encouraged to submit suggested designs to the UFLAC office.
I had always considered designing a patch since my tenure began in August of 1980. I had worked for two other departments prior to the LAFD, and these and other departments had a shoulder patch along with wearing a badge. The LAFD was unique in that we only wore a badge. Unless someone saw you stepping off an engine, truck or ambulance, they had to get close to you to observe what the badge actually represented.
Most California departments used a “Shell Design” for their official patch. I wanted to design something very unique in the shape of our patch, along with the patch detail. Initially the center of the patch had the official City Seal, but the company I was working with said the seal had a lot of detail and the patch size was too small to embroider it. I then used our LAFD ‘Phoenix” with “Los Angeles Fire Department Founded 1886” inside the Maltese Cross. The addition of the cross axes was to represent our departments history of truck work on the fire ground.
The next challenge was that I had “Los Angeles Fire Department” to finish off the patch, and the Fire Chief at the time, William Bamattre, suggested “LAFD” at the top of the patch. So it was put to a vote of Department members and they chose the wording “Los Angeles Fire Department.”
The Los Angeles Fire Department is one of the top rated fire departments in the world. Our Department is also unique in that our chief officers and captains wear “black” and non-officers wear “navy” uniforms. I designed a patch for both color schemes that would accommodate both uniforms.
My whole intent with this design was to design a patch to make our firefighters more visible, and to instill Department pride.
By Kelly Toman