Each year, February is dedicated as Black History Month, honoring the triumphs and struggles of African-Americans throughout U.S. history. The Ridge VFD would like to recognize and honor some of the historical contributions made by firefighters, and supporters of the fire service, of color.

*First African-American Fire Chief - Patrick H. Raymond
On January 4, 1871, at the first regular meeting of the new city government of the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts, the name of P. H. Raymond, was placed before the full board for consideration. After his election that night to the post of Chief Engineer of the Cambridge Fire Department, Patrick H. Raymond became the first African-American fire chief in the history of the United States. Chief Raymond advocated for stronger fire prevention codes, an increase in the number of fire companies and company strength, and a fully-paid, permanent fire department. He served as Chief until 1878.

*Improved Fire Extinguisher Patent – Thomas J. Martin
On March 26 1872, Thomas J. Martin, an African-American, was granted a patent for his version of the fire extinguisher. Martin’s invention improved the fire extinguisher design to create the first fire-extinguishing sprinkler system. His invention allowed water to be pumped through pipes inside buildings to extinguish a fire by manually turning a valve. This design was installed in large factories, which saved the lives of workers and limited structural damage from horrendous fires.

*The First Permanent Fire Pole
African American firefighters played a key role in developing a staple of the firehouse: the sliding pole. Engine Company 21 was Chicago’s first organized paid African American Firefighting Company. They are credited with being the first firefighters to come up with the idea to create and use a fire house sliding pole that would allow them to quickly descend from the upstairs sleeping quarters to the ground floor, thus avoiding the cumbersome and slow stairs and chutes. In 1878, a permanent fire pole was installed in the firehouse. Other firefighters in the city thought the idea was crazy — until they saw that Company 21 was now often the first to arrive on scene. In 1880, the Boston Fire Department installed a brass pole, the type still used today. Within a decade, poles stood in firehouses across the US, and later in Canada, Britain, and around the world.

*The Smoke Helmet - Garrett Morgan
Garrett Morgan invented, and received a patent for, the safety helmet / gas mask that was used by the allied forces in World War I and served as the prototype for the modern-day respirator. During his day, early 1910s, it was also known as a smoke helmet to fight fires. The purpose of the smoke helmet was to allow the wearer to enter a room filled with noxious gas, fumes, or smoke for the purpose of saving human life and property. Morgan discovered that no matter how dense an environment was, pure air was always located near the floor or ground. Given this fact, Morgan’s smoke helmet was engineered to access pure air from the ground or floor.

*African-American Women Firefighters – The Firsts.
Women of all color have been firefighters for longer than most people realize: in fact, for almost 200 years. The first woman firefighter we know of, an African-American, was Molly Williams. Molly was a slave in New York City and became a member of Oceanus Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 - Engine Company #11 in 1818.

By the mid-1970’s, women were becoming career firefighters throughout the country. Among them were a number of African-American women, starting in June of 1976 with Toni McIntosh. Toni was the first African-American woman to become a full-time career firefighter, working for Pittsburgh (PA) Bureau of Fire.

Carrye B. Brown made history in 1994 when she became the first female and the first African American appointed as United States Fire Administrator.

The first African-American woman appointed as Fire Chief for a career fire department was Chief Rosemary Cloud with the East Point (GA) Fire Department in 2002.

*Chapel Oaks Volunteer Fire Department - The First and Oldest African-American Fire Department in Maryland
In August 1946, a tragic fire took the lives of three black children in a Deanwood Park (Prince George's County) residence. Reportedly, during that era, the all-white volunteer fire departments in the county often neglected the needs of their black neighbors, resulting in hit-or-miss emergency services. Without much firefighting knowledge or experience, a group of concerned citizens from all over the Greater Chapel Oaks/Deanwood Park area started Maryland’s only all African American Volunteer Fire Department, the Chapel Oaks Volunteer Fire Department. The Chapel Oaks VFD, in Capitol Heights, Maryland, has been going strong, serving their community for 76 years.

*First African American Fire Commissioner - Robert O. Lowery
Robert O. Lowery was the first African-American Fire Commissioner of a major U.S. city; New York. He was the Fire Department of New York's 21st Fire Commissioner, serving from January 1, 1966 until September 29, 1973. Lowery was appointed as a fireman in 1941 and later promoted to Fire Marshal in 1946. The same year, 1946, he won a commendation for arresting a man for 30 acts of arson and burglary. In 1960, he was cited for capturing an armed arsonist, and the next year became an acting Lieutenant in the Bureau of Fire Investigation. In 1963, Lowery was appointed Deputy Fire Commission. He addressed the racial issue head on, striving to increase the proportion of blacks and the sensitivity of whites. He also increased the number of black firefighters assigned to black neighborhoods, as well as the number of blacks in leadership roles.