Fire department makes strides in attracting blacks

By Timothy Pratt (contact)

Monday, March 1, 2004 | 11:25 a.m.

The number of black men who passed a written test considered the first step to becoming Las Vegas firefighters increased in the past two years, city records show.

The news is good for Chief David Washington, Las Vegas Fire and Rescue's first black leader, who has pushed to hire minorities since taking the job almost three years ago.

Officials said that obstacles such as the requirement to have costly training before testing and the lack of study guides were removed, making it easier for minorities to try out for the job.

But the department still struggles with the issue, as only four black firefighters have been hired on Washington's watch, which began August 2001, according to city records.

"I feel like we're making progress, but we're not where we want to be," Washington said this week. "We will be a much better fire department as we reflect the community we serve."

Of 259 firefighters and firefighter-paramedics currently on the job, 13 -- or 5 percent -- are black, said Judy Tuttle, deputy director of the city's human resources department and manager of recruitment. About 9 percent of Clark County's population is black, according to the state demographer's office.

The numbers are similar for other minority groups in the department: 12 percent of Las Vegas' firefighters are Hispanic, Tuttle said, compared with 23.5 percent in the county's population. Only 3 percent are Asian, compared with 7 percent of the county's population.

Numbers released last week show that the total number of people taking the Jan. 28 written test -- the first step in the process that leads to hiring -- included double the percentage of blacks compared with 2002, the last time the test was given. That in turn led to a higher number of blacks ready to take the next step -- the physical exam.

This year, of 2,195 people taking the written test, 186 -- or 8 percent -- were black. In 2002 only 4 percent of those who took the test were black.

Eighty-three blacks, or 45 percent of the blacks who took the test this year, passed, compared with 55 percent of the entire group taking the test. Two years ago 33 percent of black applicants passed the test.

The department chooses those who do best on the test -- this year those who scored 90 and above -- to advance to the physical exam, which will be held March 15.

This year 18 blacks -- or 10 percent of all blacks taking the test -- made the cut. In 2002, when the cutoff point was 80 or above, there were only 5 blacks in that category, and only one was hired.

Tuttle said she thought the higher numbers of blacks this year were due to a concerted effort to remove obstacles for minorities in general.

Last year officials from a local black firefighters group blamed low numbers of black candidates on a policy that was new at the time requiring applicants to be certified medical technicians before they took the written test.

The requirement meant that applicants needed to have $400 to $1,000 for the training, Bertral Washington said at the time. Washington, president of United Firefighters of Southern Nevada -- an association for black firefighters of Las Vegas and North Las Vegas -- said then that "a lot of minorities just don't have that kind of money."

Washington -- no relation to the fire chief -- did not return calls seeking comment this year.

But Tuttle said the requirement has been waived and candidates now have until they are offered a job to take the training.

Another change this year was making study guides available in the library for the first time. Similar guides were offered in 2000 and before, but they were not available in 2002, she said. Also, the guides were offered at least three months earlier than they had been in years past.

Angelo Aragon, secretary of the Las Vegas Firefighters Local 1285, said the extra study materials helped.

"Since the last test they (the department) have been actively pursuing minorities to take the test and prepare," Aragon said. "Through the efforts undertaken in the past couple of years, the numbers are getting better."

Finally, the department sent firefighters into the community to recruit more often in the past year, hoping to interest more minorities.

"We did everything we could ... and that's why I think the numbers are better," Tuttle said.

The fire chief said his job was to "ensure that all people have the opportunity to take a shot at a great career."

At the same time, he said, "I'm going to hire the best ... no matter what color they are."

Sam Smith -- who in 1988 became the second black named as deputy fire marshal for the Clark County Fire Department -- gave the Las Vegas department credit.

"They have definitely tried hard to correct some things," said Smith, who retired in 2002 after 22 years with the county department and now volunteers to prepare applicants interested in working for area fire departments.

But he said the department also goes up against a certain amount of history, both local and national.

"This is a nontraditional job for minorities -- you look at firefighters and who do you see?" he said. "It's the same with police ... or anybody with a uniform -- you're going to have more white folks, and that's the history of America."