“The credibility of our agencies is connected to their being reflective of those they serve,” says New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. “And the FDNY is a pivotal agency to public safety.” Read more:
Currently, more than three-quarters of firefighters are white men, and less than 1% are women, according to the city council.Currently, more than three-quarters of firefighters are white men, and less than 1% are women, according to the city council.New York lawmakers announced new legislation on Monday that would require the FDNY to hire more women and minority firefighters, the latest push to diversify an agency that has been repeatedly sued for discriminating against non-white applicants.
The bills follow several other legislative attempts to solve the agency’s diversity problems – a threat not just to equity, but to the “fundamental safety of all New Yorkers,” according to Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. She said the department had updated its training and exam program, in addition to expanding its efforts to recruit candidates from underrepresented groups.
Those who come from firefighter families – and who are more likely to be white men – were better equipped to navigate the complicated process between applying to the FDNY and actually becoming a firefighter, Kavanaugh said.