FDNY Seeks Applicant Diversity
BY RICHARD GENTILVISO

Results of the 2007 Firefighter exam show more minorities and women passing the test than ever before. The city expects this will mean an unprecedented increase in the hiring of minority and female firefighters in 2008. The Fire Department has been actively recruiting a more diverse group of applicants.

Minorities represented 38 percent of those passing the exam, which was given last January. There was also a 50 percent increase in the number of women passing the test.

"These impressive results show that people of all backgrounds want to study and train hard to become a New York City firefighter- a great job with great benefits," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a press release.

Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Martha Hirst announced the results on November 27. "More minority candidates have taken this year's written firefighter test than any other previous test for the position," Commissioner Hirst said in the press release. "The firefighter exam is highly competitive, but anyone willing to dedicate the time to study and prepare can succeed."

A total of 29,638 candidates applied for the 2007 test, a record surpassing 2002 and 1999, the two previous tests. More than 40 percent (11,918) were minorities and 1,401 applicants were women.

Of the 4,000 test-takers who scored the highest on the exam (at least 96.77 percent) and are most likely to be appointed as firefighters, 33 percent are minorities, 722 (18 percent) are Hispanic 491 (12 percent are black and 114 (3 percent) are Asian.

Of the 21,183 candidates passing the exam, 3,862 (19 percent) are Hispanic; 3,487 (17 percent) are black; and 435 (2 percent) are Asian. There were also 770 women who passed the test this year, compared to 512 who passed the last test given in 2002.

In 2002, of 5,569 minority candidates who applied, 21 percent of those passing were minorities, 12 percent were Hispanic, 7 percent were black and 2 percent were Asian.

There are 11,621 firefighters, of whom 666 are Hispanic, 337 are black and 75 are Asian. Less than 10 percent (9.3%) of firefighters are minorities. There are 31 women firefighters.

In May 2007, the U.S. Department of Justice sued New York City over the written test for firefighters, charging that it was discriminatory against blacks and Hispanics. The Justice Department would not comment on the new test results or the lawsuit and Commissioner Hirst said changes made for the 2007 exam had nothing to do with the Justice Department's claim, according to a report in the November 28 New York Times.

"The test does not require specialized knowledge," Commissioner Hirst said in the November 28 Times report. "It is a test of basic aptitude and ability to become a firefighter."

Passing written test candidates are placed on an eligible list and called in order based on their rank on that list for a physical exam. The physical is graded on a pass or fail basis and is expected to be given beginning in the spring of 2008.

Qualified candidates who pass are then eligible to be appointed to the FDNY and report to the Fire Academy at Randall's Island where, about 600 probationary firefighters are trained each year. The eligibility list from this year's firefighter exam is expected to be used to appoint firefighters for the next four years.