A group of black firefighters is claiming that the Miami-Dade County Fire Department is growing ever whiter under the stewardship of Chief Herminio Lorenzo.
Several years ago, the fire department was under a court order to diversify and hire more black employees. Now, some claim the bad old days might be here again, which the department denies vigorously, NBC 6's Nick Bogert reported.
Faye Davis is a captain in the fire department, which she often criticizes for insensitivity to its black members.
"This isn't even close to being representative of the taxpayers of this community," Davis said.
Davis said she and other black firefighters worried from the start about Lorenzo, saying his record of hiring minority employees in other departments he headed was dismal.
Lorenzo and the Progressive Firefighters Association have written and met over the months about recruitment issues. Now, the PFA said the proof is in the April and May fire academy classes.
"You can't come with two classes, 66 individuals and only 5 blacks, and then say to us you're trying," Davis said.
But Miami-Dade County fire officials said the two classes might have fewer black students in them because of mandated hiring preferences for military veterans and those with paramedic certification, and predict that fewer classes will be more diverse.
Retired firefighter Michael Myles said he worries.
"It feels just like the '70s," Myles said.
Myles was hired as a Miami-Dade County firefighter in the 1970s, when the department was under a court order to increase the number of black firefighters. He said it was a hostile workplace.
"Once we had our dinner with them, they would throw away our dishes," Myles said.
Myles said he worries that hard-fought gains of the past might be eroding.
"Most of us have retired. Those people have not been replaced," Myles said.
Fire officials said they must meet a lot of mandates in hiring, many of which are not of their own making.
Lorenzo was unavailable for comment. When he was hired, County Manager George Burgess put ensuring diversity first when listing the new chief's priorities.
"The county manager is not serious at all," Davis said.
A county spokesman said the manager is putting finishing touches on his budget proposal for next year and would not have time to comment on these claims.
Now, the fire department is made up of about 15½ percent black members, and the county population is about 20 percent black, Bogert reported.
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