Charlotte, North Carolina Firefighting Brass Leads Recruitment

The Charlotte Fire Department has been casting a wider net to recruit firefighters, using targeted poster campaigns and even relying on the top brass to canvass local fitness clubs and barbershops to reach more minority and female candidates.

But the months of effort end Monday, the last day to register for the department's written test. The exam, offered Saturday, marks the first hurdle in a process that includes background checks, plus medical and physical tests.

The search for a diverse field of applicants isn't new. But this year the department's sole black deputy chief, Howard "Pete" Key is leading the charge.

Key pledged to work on recruitment efforts when he was appointed to the post in January. He's the first black battalion chief promoted to deputy chief and only the second African American to hold that title, just one rung below chief.

The department also has been under fire amid a spate of lawsuits alleging racial discrimination against black firefighters. Three battalion chiefs are suing the city, saying they were passed over for promotions.

"We're not lowering the standards. The hurdles are there and you have to be the better person to jump them," Key said. "If you've been a responsible person and you prove yourself to be a responsible citizen, we want you on board."

The Charlotte Fire Department -- like many nationwide -- does not reflect the demographics of the communities it protects.

Among the department's sworn staff, 86 percent are white, 12 percent are black, and other minority groups represent less than 2 percent, according to department records. Women represent only 4 percent of sworn staff.

Meanwhile, in Mecklenburg County African Americans represent 28 percent of the population while Latinos represent about 7 percent, U.S. Census figures show. Women make up half the population.

So the department made new posters showing firefighters from each of those groups and placed them strategically around town.

They visited the logical places, such as the career fairs at Johnson C. Smith University and UNC Charlotte, but also hit churches and women's sports leagues.

They held an open house with a physical contest at a west Charlotte fire station that attracted more than 300 people.

And the new deputy chief has been working the phone, speaking on the airwaves and hitting the streets.

"I've delivered posters and I've hung posters," Key said. "Yes, yes, yes. I'm a worker."

The new deputy chief said many people don't know that firefighting is a job that involves more than putting out blazes.

"It's a professional career," he said. "The sky's the limit. You can start at the very bottom."

The recruitment campaign seems to be working. After each radio station visit, Key said, he received about 30 phone calls from candidates. And more than 1,800 have already registered.

In the past six years, the most to turn out for the test was less than 1,200, said Austin Hardison, the department's human resources' manager. And that was after the Sept. 11 terrorism attacks when the nation's esteem for firefighters was especially high.

It's not clear how many people who register this year will actually show up Saturday for the written test, though.

What also is not clear is how many the department can hire.

Each year about 20 firefighters retire. And each time the city of Charlotte annexes new land, the department needs to find ways to cover the new territory.

But the actual number of openings depends on what the City Council decides about next year's budget.

Still, Key said he is looking at more than next year's crop. In addition to colleges, he's also visited middle schools to plant seeds for the future.

All Charlotte Fire Department applicants must pass both a written aptitude exam and then a physical test. The written exam will be held Saturday and you must register by midnight on Monday.

You also must:

Be at least 18 years old.

Have a high school diploma or GED; valid driver's license with a good driving record; and a valid e-mail address and Social Security number.

Not have felony convictions or taken illegal drugs within the past year.

To sign up or learn more about the process, visit (http://www.charmeck.org/) www.charmeck.org/

Departments/Fire or call (704) 336-2979.