Having been a part of the Los Angeles City Fire Department for almost 18 years, J. Clinton Johnson was truly a dedicated firefighter.  His health had begun to decline after he had endured long shifts that drove his body to overexertion.  In his free time, he was known to spend hours studying on how to improve his department's efficiency.  After being promoted to the rank of Captain in 1902, he was known to always be wary of danger and to never send his crewmembers to places he, himself, would not go.