F.I.R.E. Demands Action

The following statement comes from F.I.R.E., the African-American firefighters association:

Almost 50 years ago Black firefighters for the City of St Louis were told by white firefighters that they could not attend the firefighters’ barbecue.

Those African American firefighters were given $5.00 by the white firefighters and instructed to go have their own function—-because of the color of their skin they were not welcome at any firefighters’ event in the City of St Louis. It was out of that incident that F.I.R.E. was founded.

African American firefighters understood then that the racism that infected the fire department could not be cured from the inside out.

Unfortunately little has changed with regard to acts of hate directed at black firefighters.

A few days ago a stuffed monkey was hung by a noose in a northside firehouse. This act of hate comes shortly after the first African American fire chief was forced out and replaced with a lesser qualified white firefighter.

F.I.R.E. (Firefighters Institute for Racial Equality) is demanding that the City of St Louis respond to this act of hate properly and F.I.R.E. is also requesting a Federal Investigation.

F.I.R.E. is holding a press conference today at 5:00 PM at their headquarters, 1020 North Taylor Ave.