31 Benning Place
by Karen Slider
She ran into burning buildings. The hardest fight was getting through the door.
About the book
"I didn't just want to be a firefighter. I needed to prove it was possible — for every woman who would come after me."
Raised in South Central Los Angeles, Karen Slider went on to make history as one of the first Black female firefighters in the LAFD.
From the grueling academy to the firehouse floor, Karen's memoir is a testament to what happens when a woman refuses to be told no.
In Her Own Words
Karen talks about the book — and the life behind it.
Inside the memoir
Breaking barriers
Karen's firsthand account.
Life on the line
From rappelling buildings to battling blazes.
Where she came from
Raised in South Central Los Angeles.
Brotherhood & sisterhood
The bonds forged in the firehouse.
From the front lines
A life lived in service.
Hear the story
Listen to Karen tell it in her own voice.
Pigs
A scene from the memoir — narrated by Karen Slider.
Drooling
A scene from the memoir — narrated by Karen Slider.
Feed Family
A scene from the memoir — narrated by Karen Slider.
No One Would Die
A scene from the memoir — narrated by Karen Slider.
Annie May
A scene from the memoir — narrated by Karen Slider.
Pull That Hose
A scene from the memoir — narrated by Karen Slider.
She didn't just survive the fire department — she transformed it.
— Fellow LAFD firefighter
A story every young woman who has ever been told 'you can't' needs to read.
— Early reader
Unflinching, proud, and deeply human. Karen Slider's memoir is the real thing.
— Advance praise
About the author
Karen Slider
Karen Lasley-Slider is a retired LAFD firefighter, trailblazer, and now a first-time author.
Off duty, Karen is a mother, a mentor, and a voice for the women who came after her.
31 Benning Place is her first book.
Want to know more about Karen? Visit her website, KayKay House.
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