To save eye strain, here is most of the text:
THIS CERTIFIES THAT
[NAME HERE]
AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF
[ENGINE CO. NAME HERE] ENGINE COMPANY NO.
[# HERE]
ATTACHED TO THE
Los Angeles Fire Department,
having served the full term required
by the Laws of the State of California
is entitled to all the privileges of an
EXEMPT FIREMAN.
Berkeley.edu
The building at lower left is the Oxarat Building (east side of Spring just north of 1st; at far left
here), mostly built 1877 and completed
Jan 1878; at lower right is Main Street's Baker Block, mostly built 1878 and completed Feb 1879. So the certificate must have originated
in late 1878 or early 1879. The bottom center panel shows a bad fire at the Temple Block (there was a fire there in 1874 -- perhaps
this is a depiction of that event).
The center right panel shows the Confidence Engine House on Main Street, just below 1st (seen
here just right of center with the
bell on the roof and a 3 instead of a 2 on the sign). The center left panel shows Engine Co. No 1's house on the west side of Spring
Street, immediately north of the municipal adobe at Spring & Franklin. These are the buildings those engine companies were in in 1879.
I like the LAFD seal; a fireman climbed up the ladder at right to rescue the baby (in his right arm) from the burning bed (at left) and
now he blows a horn (in his left hand). Next to the other cherub is the city seal that was used until 1905:
Here's a copy of one of these certificates that was issued in April 1879 to David Main (born in New Hampshire in 1832). Los Angeles Mayor
J. R. Toberman signed at top right and LAFD Chief Engineer Charles Miles signed below that; both had those posts in 1879:
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..I'm not sure if we're seeing windows or some sort of lettering. 
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