Film focuses on diversity in heroes of 9/11

Eric Leake

Friday, Feb. 25, 2005 | 8:53 a.m.

The public face of the heroes of Sept. 11 is not often that of a black man or woman.

A documentary film, "All Our Sons: Fallen Heroes of September 11," is an attempt to address that. The film will be shown Sunday and presents the personal stories of 12 black firefighters who died at the World Trade Center.

"It's a really good film. It's definitely a more personal film that gets into the lives of the families who experienced losses in the fire service," said Bertral Washington, a black firefighter with Las Vegas Fire & Rescue.

"It also gives a different perspective of life in the fire service that's not often seen," he said.

Washington is a member of the local chapter of the International Association of Black Firefighters, United Firefighters of Southern Nevada, which is presenting the film.

The association works to promote diversity within fire departments, he said.

The latest numbers from Las Vegas Fire & Rescue report that of the department's 612 employees, 58, or 9.5 percent, are black. By comparison, roughly 9 percent of Clark County residents are black, according to the the state demographer's office.

Las Vegas Fire Chief David Washington said it is important to have a department that reflects the community it serves. No relation to Bertral Washington, the chief has spent more than three decades in the fire service. He was named chief four years ago becoming the department's first black chief.

He said he views diversity as also encompassing gender and economic and educational backgrounds. But, he noted, while diversity is important, it will always be secondary to the public's safety.

David Washington said the department is trying to interest a more diverse and younger population in firefighting to give them ample time to plan for careers. The department is in preliminary stages of working with the school district on a public safety curriculum, he said.

Bertral Washington agrees that prospects for minority firefighters are improving. It's significant, he said, that Chief Washington and Clark County Fire Chief Earl Greene are both black.

"There are several blacks and others who may have never thought of being a firefighter because they never saw someone who looks like them in that position," he said.

Following the film, New York Fire Department Capt. Paul Washington will participate in a discussion of firefighting careers and issues facing black firefighters.