Program in Chicago attracts more minorities into the firehouse

Program in Chicago attracts more minorities into the firehouse

Transcript¹

The Black Fire Brigade is an outside group whose mission is to boost the ranks of Black firefighters in Chicago. It recruits, trains and mentors² men and women in minority communities.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

A low number of Black firefighters in a lot of big cities across the country is a concern. In Chicago, for instance, lawsuits³ over the years haven't done much to boost the ranks, but one innovative⁴ program there is making progress and bringing more minorities into the firehouse. Michael Puente from member station WBEZ explains how.

MICHAEL PUENTE, BYLINE⁵: While Chicago's Black population is nearly 30%, less than 16% of Chicago's fire department and paramedics are Black. Lieutenant⁶ Quention Curtis is in his 34th and final year with the CFD. He's aware of the lawsuits and federal consent decrees over the decades to force the Chicago Fire Department to diversify⁷ hiring.

QUENTION CURTIS: When I came on the fire department, there were approximately - there was close to a thousand Blacks on the Chicago Fire Department. Now I think we're close to 300.

PUENTE: Racism⁸ and discrimination have long shadowed the department, challenging its testing systems and promotion⁹ schedules. But Curtis, who everyone calls Q, feels the numbers are also suppressed because so few Black residents see firefighting as a career option.

CURTIS: I'm a Chicago firefighter today for one reason. At 12 years old, I'd seen my first Black fireman, and at that point, I decided¹⁰ that's what I want to be. And sadly, today I challenge the city to go into a Black neighborhood and find a Black fireman.

PUENTE: Chicago is hardly alone when it comes to the lack of diversity. In a report for the Harvard Business Review, UCLA professor Corinne Bendersky says 96% of U.S. career firefighters are men; more than 80% are white.

CORINNE BENDERSKY: It's a very proud tradition in the fire service, and some of those traditions have racist¹¹ and discriminatory roots.

PUENTE: Diversifying¹² fire departments is also an issue in cities like Los Angeles, Kansas City and New York. Some departments, like in LA, have had success recruiting more Black firefighters. To try to achieve that in Chicago, Lieutenant Curtis started the nonprofit Black Fire Brigade four years ago. In the 12-week program, men and women learn the basic skills they'll need.

CURTIS: They get their basic first aid. They get CPR. They get driver's training. They learn how to operate an ambulance. They learn everything that's on an ambulance.

PUENTE: The training also comes with a $24,000 stipend¹³. Once hired, firefighters can earn nearly six figures with additional training. More than 450 young people have taken to training, like 23-year-old Ahmand Boyland (ph), who is undergoing it now.

AHMAND BOYLAND: Everything is strict, very strict, from dress code to how you come in everyday to your attitude to just how you hold yourself accountable for different things that goes on.

PUENTE: Four times a week, recruits begin each training session with calisthenics and then classroom work at Engine Company 21, a two-story, red-brick building on the city's South Side that used to be the only firehouse where Blacks could serve in Chicago. Trainee¹⁴ Sarah Webster says that visibility is key.

SARAH WEBSTER: Q's biggest thing is you can't be what you can't see. So if we don't know that we can do these things, if we don't see other people doing them, it's kind of out of reach for us.

PUENTE: Some recruits will land jobs with suburban¹⁵ fire departments or other major cities. With limited funding, Black Fire Brigade relies largely on word of mouth.

CURTIS: I have a tough time getting funding. I have a waiting list of 500 kids. Remember, this is not a job; this is a career. We will always have work.

PUENTE: This year also marks the 150th anniversary of the first professional Black firefighters working in Chicago. The anniversary is bittersweet for Lieutenant Quention Curtis, as he continues to try to bring more minorities into a profession he loves.

For NPR News, I'm Michael Puente in Chicago.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 mentors   

n.（无经验之人的）有经验可信赖的顾问( mentor的名词复数 )v.（无经验之人的）有经验可信赖的顾问( mentor的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Beacham and McNamara, my two mentors, had both warned me. 我的两位忠实朋友，比彻姆和麦克纳马拉都曾经警告过我。 来自辞典例句
• These are the kinds of contacts that could evolve into mentors. 这些人是可能会成为你导师。 来自互联网

3 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

4 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

5 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

6 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

7 diversify   

v.（使）不同，（使）变得多样化

参考例句：

• Our company is trying to diversify.我们公司正力图往多样化方面发展。
• Hills and woods diversify the landscape.山陵和树木点缀景色。

8 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

9 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

10 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

11 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。

12 diversifying   

v.使多样化，多样化( diversify的现在分词 )；进入新的商业领域

参考例句：

• Some publishers are now diversifying into software. 有些出版社目前正兼营软件。 来自辞典例句
• Silverlit is diversifying into new markets, such as Russia and Eastern Europe. Silverlit正在使他们的市场变得多样化，开发新的市场如俄罗斯和东欧国家。 来自互联网

13 stipend   

n.薪贴；奖学金；养老金

参考例句：

• The company is going to ajust my stipend from this month onwards.从这一个月开始公司将对我的薪金作调整。
• This sum was nearly a third of his total stipend.这笔钱几乎是他全部津贴的三分之一。

14 trainee   

n.受训练者

参考例句：

• The trainee checked out all right on his first flight.受训者第一次飞行完全合格。
• Few of the trainee footballers make it to the top.足球受训人员中没有几个能达到顶级水平。

15 suburban   

adj.城郊的，在郊区的

参考例句：

• Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
• There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。