"It didn't cross Damon Covington's mind to become a firefighter until, he said, a voice "out of the blue" in his early 20s urged him to do it."
"I've spent most of my life here in Oakland. I grew up on 101st Avenue and East 14th Street, down the street from Station 20, where I spent a lot of my career. It's been an amazing journey to serve the community I grew up in."
"During my senior year, he was like, "This is our last chance. I think you'll get a lot out of it." So I said, "All right." It ended up being a game-changer for me. We organized coat drives, served at a soup kitchen, and did canned food drives for the homeless. I feel like I got more out of it than the people we were serving. It felt great to help someone in the community whom I didn't know. I had no idea that years later, that's what I would do for my career."
Damon Covington grew up in Oakland near Station 20 and entered public service after a calling in his early 20s. He joined the Oakland Fire Department 26 years ago as a firefighter-paramedic and became chief in October 2023. He prioritizes addressing overtime costs, staffing shortages, and the growing threat of wildfires in the Oakland Hills. He highlights the importance of mental health support within the fire service. He also responds to criticisms of MACRO, the civilian response program housed in the fire department. Early community service shaped his commitment to serving Oakland neighborhoods.
Read at The Oaklandside
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