Diversity sought for fire staffing

Schenectady’s 126-member department includes a black male, two Asian-americans

Richard W. Harris is hoping the city will take a hard look at some of what he sees as barriers that could be hampering efforts to finally diversify the 126-member fire department.

“You don’t want unnecessary requirements in place that discourage people from becoming firefighters and you want to create an environment where we want minorities in the fire department,” the retired New York City fire lieutenant said Friday during a discussion at City Hall about a program aimed at boosting the number of minorities currently among Schenectady’s ranks.

In Schenectady, a person needs to have at least 60 college credits, be certified as a paramedic, and pass the civil service exam to become a firefighter paramedic.

Ron Gardner, Schenectady’s affirmative action officer, said that it could take upwards of two years to complete all those prerequisites, which he said can be challenging.

The requirements are not the same in other fire departments.

“If that’s the rules of engagement, we need to go start with these young men coming out of high school and the ones in college and develop that pipeline and prepare them,” said Gardner, who added that the goal is not to “dilute” or circumvent the current requirements. “What we have to do is to recruit and prepare folks that this a two-year commitment.”

He touted the partnership his office has with community colleges and the organization 100 Black Men of the Albany, New York Capital Region, Inc., where Harris is the president.

Over the years, Schenectady’s recruitment campaigns and community outreach to draw more minorities and women to the police and fire departments has met with limited success.

The 126-member Schenectady fire department includes one black male and two Asian-american firefighters, said Gardner. He said the 158-member police force includes seven black men, one black woman, four Hispanic males, and two officers who did not self-identify their ethnicity or race. Those numbers do not include support and administrative staff.

Matt Anderson, who works as a carpenter for the city, is in school at Hudson Valley Community College trying to obtain the 60 credits and get his paramedic’s certification to be considered for a job as a Schenectady firefighter.

The married father of three, who is biracial and a volunteer firefighter in Niskayuna, said while you need a paramedic’s certification, you don’t need 60 credits to be a firefighter there.

Harris, who also served as director of programming, planning and administration for the Department of State Office of Fire Prevention and Control in Albany, said the city may want to look at the paramedic requirement.

“I’m saying that maybe you don’t need to be a paramedic when you go on calls, you can be an EMT and then you get in-service training and the department supports that for you to become a paramedic,” said Harris.

He contends that it would also be beneficial for minority youngsters with an interest in becoming a firefighter to have role models that look like them to share their experiences with the teens.

Harris recalled how a landmark discrimination lawsuit filed by a black fraternal order of firefighters against New York City and the FDNY during his tenure forced the department in the 1970s to devise a plan to hire more people of color and women.

As part of that courtordered mandate, Harris helped out with recruitment, which featured community outreach programs and a tutorial program where instructors provided insight into the civil service exam.

It’s Harris’ background and experience that Gardner hopes will help pay dividends in the Electric City.

Public Safety Commissioner Michael Eidens said Friday there is a “real strong willingness to continue those efforts” when it comes to making the department more reflective of the community.

Gardner said in the future he hopes to replicate the program with the police department.