Alameda County Fire Department recognizes Black history in fire service for student event

ALAMEDA COUNTY, Calif. - Students at Anna Yates Elementary in Emeryville celebrated Black History Month with a special visit and history lesson from Alameda County firefighters.

Alameda County Fire Department gave an extensive presentation recognizing the contributions of Black firefighters locally and nationwide in an assembly called "Chief is my belief."

It was the 11th annual "Chief is my belief" event, stemming from a teacher at Anna Yates Elementary who first began inviting firefighters to her fourth grade classroom for Black History Month back in 2013.

ACFD Division Chief Randall West, who put the presentation together, said it's important to share stories of the Black firefighters who came before them. "It’s important that we know our history and we may not find it in the history book."

Students were joined by fire and police chiefs from multiple agencies, city leaders, and trailblazers, like Nadja Havenhill.

"In 2017, ACFD hired their first African American female firefighter, which was firefighter Nadja Havenhill," West said.

Local heroes were recognized for paving the way, like the first Black firefighters in Oakland in 1920, and Earl Gates, the first black firefighter in San Francisco, who broke barriers and faced extreme discrimination when he joined San Francisco Fire Department in 1955.

"It's very important for us to remember and recognize our members of color, those who are less represented in the fire service, people of color – especially African American firefighters, because they have given a great tremendous debt and contributions to the fire service," said West.

They also highlighted Black history from all over the country, like the Charlotte Neptunes, a Black firefighting brigade in North Carolina, and Molly Williams, the very first female firefighter in the early 1800s, a former slave.

Black chiefs from agencies all over the Bay Area were recorded sending a message of encouragement, reminding the kids that they can do anything they set their minds to.

"You are each a chief in the making," said Fremont Fire Chief Zoraida Diaz, who was the first female chief of the department, an Afro-Latina.

Firefighters were also recognized and gifted special portraits by Oakland artist Shomari Smith as part of the presentation. 

ACFD offers this history assembly for schools all over the country who are interested in signing up for the webinar. The department said it also serves as a recruitment tool, exposing kids to a career in the fire service, no matter their background.