The Fire Bureau hires only the best

From the editorial page of your newspaper (“City EMT training program honors the Freedom House legacy,” Feb 13): “Pittsburgh’s professional firefighters require EMT training, and have a dismal diversity record: A recent performance audit from the City Controller’s Office revealed the force is literally 99% men, and nearly 90% white. The EMS Bureau is only marginally better: Another Controller’s audit pegged the numbers at about 80% male and 85% white.”

Now can you please post the PG’s shining record of diversity hiring? Or do you only hire the most qualified? If so, how dare you!

This is how firefighters applicants are hired: All applicants take a Civil Service generated written test; a physical fitness test is next; a physical and drug screen is the next requirement; a background check is required; then a hiring list is generated from those who have passed all of the above.

And by the way, during the testing, each applicant is identified only by a number. No name, no race. All the results go through the Civil Service office.

Now please expound on the hiring problem that you see, because from my perspective, it is not the Fire Bureau’s. JOHN GOMBITA

Kennedy