About us
IT STARTED AT LOS ANGELES CITY FIRE STATION 89’s
It all started one day at Fire Station 89 in North Hollywood, California, sometime during 1989. Someone came into the station seeking information on how and where to purchase firefighter uniform accessories and custom helmet shields for an upcoming movie. The problem was solved regarding the uniforms, but the custom helmet shields presented another issue. A source was found, but it would take eight weeks or more for delivery.
Sam Brown was working at 89’s and suggested that he could make the shields within a week. An order was placed that day for 30 custom helmet shields. Sam set out to source the leather, create the patterns, and constructed one shield for confirmation. However, when Sam delivered, he was told that the order was canceled because they had not secured the contract to furnish the movie industry with the props they needed.
Now the big question was what he would do with all that red leather. Sam had always wanted to have a shield from the eight stations he had previously worked at since he started in 1963. This gave him the perfect opportunity to achieve that.
The first shields he made were a little rough because he used pigskin, and he hadn’t yet found a source for cowhide in the right shade of red. Some of the firemen he worked with also wanted to collect shields from the stations they had been at, so they began ordering from Sam. He would cut the leather on the apparatus floor using a stainless steel template that he made himself. With each shield he completed, he continued to learn and make improvements.
As his profits grew, Sam began acquiring better equipment, and all his earnings went into enhancing his setup. His lockers became the envy of the station (or should we say lockers, since he had more than one, set up like a mini workshop). With all the supplies he needed and his sewing machine in the electrical room at the back of the Station, he was ready to do business.
While others watched TV in the evening, Sam was busy sewing custom helmet shields and was always willing to use his machine to perform repairs and sew items for his fellow firefighters. Word spread, and firemen from other departments started calling and ordering Sam Brown Shields.
Portrait of a police officer in uniform and hat.
BIG BREAK COMES WHEN CITY OF GARDENA ORDERS SAM’S SHIELDS
After working for 30 years and retiring in 1993, a significant opportunity arose when Chief Mailloux of the City of Gardena (now part of L.A. County Fire) placed an order for his department. The Chief was one of the first to recognize the quality of workmanship in Sam Brown Shields, which specialize in custom helmet shields. This initial sale led to others seeking information, and thus 'Sam Brown Shields' came into existence.
Sam has always taken pride in the quality of his workmanship and the materials used in the production of his custom helmet shields. He is also dedicated to filling orders swiftly, ensuring customer satisfaction is a guarantee.
His custom helmet shields have been purchased as gifts for notable figures in California, including President Ronald Reagan, Governor Pete Wilson, Michael Eisner of Disneyland, and Cardinal Mahony of the Los Angeles Diocese.
From that modest beginning in the locker room at Fire Station 89, and with encouragement from fellow firefighters from LAFD and other departments, his business continues to thrive.
Sam Brown Shields is now the premier manufacturer of firefighter uniform accessories, including helmet shields for LAFD, Phenix Fire Helmets, OCFA, CalFire, Los Angeles County Fire, Long Beach, Glendale, and many East Coast Fire Departments.
Today, Sam operates from his home in Nicholasville, KY. Much like his old locker, he has set up an efficient workspace in his basement. With the help of his family, he is capable of producing large orders and delivering them in record time.
As a member of the Los Angeles Fire Department, Sam was known for his impeccable work ethic. A man who understood his job well, he was extremely reliable and trustworthy. Often the first to rise and the last to sleep, he was known for putting his Rookies to bed on many occasions.
In my encounters with the Senior Members of the LAFD, they have referred to Sam Brown as a Fireman’s-Fireman.
Two images showing firefighters, one in uniform and one driving a fire truck.