International Association of Black Professional Firefighters facts for kids
The International Association of Black Professional Firefighters (IABPFF), started in 1970, is a group for Black firefighters. It's like a big family or club for them. This organization represents over 8,000 fire service workers. They are located across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. They have 180 local groups, called chapters.
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History of the IABPFF
In September 1969, Black and minority firefighters from many cities in the United States met in New York City. They talked for two days about challenges and unfair situations affecting African-American firefighters. They discussed how to encourage young Black people to join the fire service. They also talked about improving relations between firefighters and the communities they served. Another important topic was making things fairer within fire departments. They also wanted to improve fire prevention programs in areas that needed them most.
This important meeting led to the creation of the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters. In October 1970, the first big meeting (convention) of Black Professional Fire Fighters happened in Hartford, Connecticut. Today, Carrie Edwards-Clemons leads the IABPFF as its President.
IABPFF Chapters Across Regions
The IABPFF has many local groups, called chapters, spread across different regions. These chapters help firefighters connect and work together in their local areas.
- Southwest Region
- Northeast Region
- Southeast Region
- Brothers and Sisters Combined
- Central Region
- The Stentorians
- Black Firefighters Association
Recognizing Bravery: IABPFF Medals
The IABPFF gives out special medals to honor firefighters for their amazing work and dedication.
IABPFF Medal of Honor
The IABPFF Medal of Honor was created to celebrate members who show great leadership and activism. It also honors those who mentor others and are always dedicated to the IABPFF's goals. In 2017, retired Lieutenant Ormond Smith from the NYFD received this award. He served the Vulcan Society and the IABPFF with strong commitment.
Medal of Valor
The IABPFF Medal of Valor recognizes acts of great courage. These acts show the best qualities of professional fire and rescue service.
People who have received the Medal of Valor include:
- Brenda Denise Cowan was the first Black female firefighter in Lexington, Kentucky. Sadly, she died while on duty on February 13, 2004. She was the first Black female career firefighter to die while working. Brenda had served with the Lexington Fire Department for twelve years. After her death, Kentucky passed a law called the Brenda D. Cowan Act. This law helps protect emergency workers, including firefighters, from harm.
- Daryl Gordon was a firefighter with the Cincinnati Fire Department. He died while responding to a fire in Madison. He fell down an elevator shaft during the fire. Firefighters from all over the country attended his funeral to honor him.
The IABPFF Motto: "Keeping the Fire Burning for Justice"
The IABPFF also celebrates its leaders who were brave enough to "speak truth to power." This means they spoke up against unfairness. Their motto is: "we kept the fire burning for Justice." This quote comes from Captain David J. Floyd, who was the first president of the IABPFF.
Working for Fairness: Consent Decrees
In the 1970s and 1980s, the IABPFF played a big part in making fire departments fairer. In some cities, like Baltimore and Washington, D.C., lawsuits helped make sure that more Black and minority firefighters were hired. These lawsuits led to agreements called "consent decrees." A consent decree is like a special agreement approved by a court. It helps make sure that a city or organization follows certain rules, like hiring people fairly.
However, in other cities, it was harder to make fire departments more diverse. In places like Boston and Los Angeles, consent decrees were used to set goals for hiring more minority firefighters. This was because there wasn't enough political support to make these changes happen easily.
During the 1970s, there were also budget cuts. This meant that some of the newest firefighters, often minorities, were the first to lose their jobs. This led to new lawsuits. For example, in Boston, a tax law caused many Black firefighters to be laid off. Luckily, money was found to re-hire them. In New York City, budget problems were used as a reason not to hire more Black firefighters, even though a court had ordered it.
Some neighborhoods, especially Black and Puerto Rican ones in New York City, saw many firehouses close in the 1970s. This made it harder to fight fires in those areas. It led to many buildings being destroyed. These cuts mostly affected minority communities who didn't have strong political voices to oppose them. Even today, some fire departments still tend to hire people through family connections. Lawsuits are sometimes still needed to make sure that women and minorities have a fair chance to become firefighters.
Current Efforts for Fair Hiring
The IABPFF continues to work for fair hiring practices in fire departments today.
- New York City Fire Department (FDNY)
The FDNY is currently being watched by a court to make sure they hire fairly. They are hiring from a special list of minority candidates who passed tests in previous years (1999, 2002, and 2007).
- Austin Fire Department (AFD), Texas
In Austin, Texas, there's also a court agreement to ensure fair hiring. The Austin African American Firefighters Association (AAAFA) has been working hard on this. They want to make sure the hiring process is truly diverse. There was a disagreement about whether another group, the Austin Firefighters Association (AFA), should be involved in the hiring discussions. The AAAFA argued that the court's order should be followed strictly. A judge agreed with the AAAFA, supporting their efforts for a more diverse fire department. The AAAFA's goal is to serve firefighters, their department, and the Austin community.
