Tonight as we welcomed the discussion for the book firefight. All cell phones, ipads or whatever that makes noise please silent or put on vibrate. There there books for sale at the register and buy them plentifully so we can continue to do for events like this one. There will be a short reading and a panelist discussion and then assigning to follow. Tonights event is being filled by cspan for book tv and we are honored to have them with us, please be aware that you may be a bill for this event. Well be passing a microphone around for the questionandanswer period. So if you have a question at the end please make sure that you have a microphone in your hand. Thanks for working with us on that. Our featured author is ginger adams otis, she has been writing about new york City Politics for more than a decade. She is a staff writer at the Ny Daily News and has written for the New York Post. Wnyc, the ap, bbc, National Public radio and the village voice. Her new book, firefight is a century long battle to integrate new yorks bravest is based on nearly ten years of reporting and interviews with firefighters. It traces the history of race in the new York Fire Department from the first black firefighter 1919. At the center of this book are stories of courage, about firefighters risking their lives in the line of duty but also risking their livelihood by battling and on justice system. She shares the stage this evening with these firefighters, all members of the Vulcan Society, an organization started in the 1940s to combat segregation and racism if the fdny. The members here are all currently active firefighters who appear in the book, our Paul Washington [applause]. , former president of the Vulcan Society and Michael Marshall [applause]. , a former Vulcan Society president and fdny diversity advocate. The discussion will will be moderated by tom robbins [applause]. He teaches at the graduate school of journalism, he is a former housing and a columnist and staff writer at the voice, the daily news and the observer, he has written many highly acclaimed stories on political corruption and urban issues. Otis will reap from the do book followed by discussion of the panelist and then will have a time for discussion. Please join me in welcoming these lovely people to the stage. [applause]. So good evening everyone thank you very much for coming. Thank you Greenlight Bookstore for huston us as well and for cspan for covering this. In case you dont know who is who, thats tom robbins, thats tom robbins, captain washington, and lieutenant Michael Marshall. Im going to do a quick reading for you tonight. I will pick up about partway through the book, the book actually segues through two ways of the vulcans history and the Fire Department sister as well. It leads in the story of the founder of the vulcan association, Wesley Williams who is one of the first firefighters in manhattan, third that we know if departmentwide in 1919 and how he found his way into the Fire Department. It segues between his story in the modernday vulcans and the civil rights lawsuit that they brought starting in 2005, which is when the department of justice got of all. We are picking up in a chapter that deals with the history of paul and michael. This is when they used to go out in the 90s and they would do recruitment in the streets of brooklyn, they would go out on the weekend, and they set up a table on the corner and if they saw a young looking black person, usually male although i think they included some women who look particularly fit, there go to them and try to get them to sign up and take a Fire Department test. Many times the applicants they were approaching were wondering what it was like in the firehouse. Because i like the benefits, is 50000 per year, sounds pretty good, pension sounds pretty good but what is going to happen to me when i get inside. So well start with the story of captain washington and what he would tell some of the guys who would ask him that question on the street corner. He would tell them stories about his days in engine seven. Theres one particular incident where he was getting hayes as all do, there is a guy and a group turned to a water hose on him and another fire fire, while their shooting hoops. In their downtime basically. Paul didnt really like that, he knew he was getting hayes but he thought one of the guys running the hose was a little too enthusiastic and spraying him down, so he decided to get revenge even though a pro b was really supposed to take what was distad not complain. So he waited a while and when the firefighter in question that he didnt like was at a table, reading a newspaper, he got a got a bucket of really cold water and snuck up behind him and he flipped the bucket over his head. The guy shouts and others come running and i think its hysterical, the guys really angry and he sits there and pretends hes not aggravated. Paul is pleased with himself as he thinks he has outsmarted his elders, so were picking up at that point. Its a story hes telling other people. So the young probably was pleased with his revenge. If he had been wiser in the way of the firehouse he would know that some form of retribution was coming. The senior firefighters couldnt live in upstart and turn the tables on one of their own no matter how funny the results. One night, not long after the bucket incident washington ran upstairs to the peaceful fire has to go to sleep around two am. The night out usually has late hours. As was firehouse practice he left the lights out as he entered the pitch black bunk room so as not to wake the rest of the crew. He lay on his bed and closed his eyes. Seconds later a strange clapping sensation went over space and chest and something was falling on him. He jumped up and ran to the bathroom stopping dead when he caught his reflection in the mirror. He was covered in3 sensation went over space and chest and something was falling on him. He jumped up and ran to the bathroom stopping dead when he caught his reflection in the mirror. He was covered in fluffy white dust. A powdery halo and trotted his head and shoulders, someone rigged a bag of flour over his bunk to spill on him when he laid down he relies. Enrt hied,e stormed to the next room where he knew the older firefighter, he dumped with water while he was sure he was behind. So washington kicked the mans bed to wake him up. You think you got some kind of problem with me the why dont you get up and well deal with it he shouted. Get up, ill kick your he said. He cursed and called him names with a man refused to move. The rest of house was silent as washington raged. He was so mad he went out to the kitchen its called a message on the blackboard, calling the firefighter to coward and a punk and challenging him to step forward. After leaving it where everyone would see it in the morning he returned to the bunk room and showered off. It was later he learned that the man had nothing to do with the prank. Everyone else in the firehouse had chortled under their blankets as washington, white flour spattered across all 3 hceeded hymns stomped to the place on a shouting tear. When his sense of humor recovered he laughed about it too. What he didnt say to the young kids he was recruited was sometimes the silly pranks they were playing on each other and particularly on probays could go too far and take on a more offensive edge. He didnt tell them that some th tuel houses would appoint a firehouse goat and life was hell for that person the goal is to make that person transy pr out s early as possible. He didnt say that sometimes those who would run into is a black family without a moments hesitation with later crack jokes about the inner city families they serve. While black firefighters if there is any around pretended not to hear. If washington had wanted to he couldve told his potentially reth tuits about a firehouse in not far from his regular space. He listened to the popular lieutenant in charge, man everyone liked and respected. He talked about the college stt hie started daughter and abt how she came home once about with a young black male. I got nothing about backs pcaupe but i certainly dont want my daughter to marry one at the litiatenant laughed. The table roared, 3 hcept for washington. We set without moving. His mind flashed to the hundreds of black People Living and working outside the firehouse stores. Nearly one dozen white firefighters were there eating with them and none of them heard anything wrong with the officer he just said. What specifically would you not like about your mirror marrying a black man . Is it that you had to sit down with inlaws who are black, except a, 3 hcept a black family into your family . What exactly is your problem . The room was silent for a second and then the man the rumor rubbed it as others jumped in to dey pnd the lieutenant. In 1992 washington was settled in crown heights. His cousin gary was ak assigned there. There were many more fires, adding to the excitement a connection shared by all the firefighters, there are four other blacks in the house too. There are note knockdown verbal fights that erupted in his pacifier houses, in part because theres more blacks present and because few of the firefighters there had an appetite for that type of discussion. Ouseyond their an officer who worked regionally with him, didnt tolerate that type of infighting. He stood 5foot 8 and he saw beyond the firehouse, it wasnt a characteristic he found among other white collects. The. The stocky upbeat lieutenant who always had a smile on his space and greeted everyone with respectable th titicism is never lost his tempes ab when he did the temper, washington never witnessed him 3 hploding but he heard tales from others. He didnt gloss over the challenges black firefighters chased and the unlikely pair, sometimes met up in the firehouse to chad in his office talking brinkley about racial relations in the city. The obstacle of blacks to get on the job, the many ways they could be isolated and alone even in the midst of a firehouse th tedit with collet hiues. There one or two firefighters that he genuinely liked an enof the ne to 34, two cracked s with her talk sports with, but he didnt open about race e yout anyone with boldlunl and theyre quite moments together they reach an affinity that created a bond that washinerton had and never expected with other white firefighters. When washington was detail per day with a nearby firehouse he got into a brutal fight with someone who is known as a troublemaker. Washington always found avoiding him was the easiest to deal with him. After two hours on the temper detail when theres a break washington went upstairs and stretched out on a bunk. He wasnt aware as how much time a past when the door flew open and the firefighter stood there screaming his name. Where have you beelew we are lond aing for you. Theres a phe call for you and were calling for you and your appear taken a nap the fire fired yelled. I ought to kick your. Washinerton leap from the, you think youre a bad man go ahead and do it. Thats all he got out before the bigger firefighter lunch for her. He wrapped his arms around his neck trying to choke him, washinerton twisted and flung te fire fired around and shoved backward on the bed. When he y pll washington pounced but evn sitting on his chest it took every ounce of strenerth he had to keep the bigger man penned. They grappled without saying a word as washington struglosed to hit him hard in the face. When the firefighter succeeded in shoving washington from his chest thor still wrestling. Everything happened in less than a minute and thor from the intensity of the fight. When the fire alarm went off sideyaling to run, they stood glaring, gulping for air. A few seconds later washington was on the back of his truck zooming a way to respond to a fire. The othes ab the other man was released from his shift and went home. By the time washington got back to his own firehouse, word had already arrived, gossip ran faster than most flames creating the often repeatedd anoe, telegraph, telephone, telephone, tele firefighter. Washinerton waved away the eagerly chatter and the guy wasnt worth the hassle. A fl w weeks later he learned the troublemaker had been removed, transferred, transferred out of there and should hby te fallen o the officers of his company but none of them bothered ahouse dihe tiplinary actioouses the transfer request i come from lieut. Goldie who quietly made hesone calls and put a word in a y pw years. He never brought up to washington it wasnt something i had to discuss. Od once during one of their wandering chats, bol firey and s well why summed up his reality of his life, paul these guys i never gonna lir thor black he said. Washington had left recognized his mothers attitwasne and and the truth of his words. Row 1995 boldly was promoted to captain and not long after dit hinosed with cap cancer. As washington learned during his visits it didnt diminish his spirits. During whether hospital toxic only surprise washington with a gift. Hering a have these goldie said. Stretching out his hands. The young firefighter sought to pieces of silver in his palm, he knew they had taken the litiatenants examined the ompomotion was eminent. The inheritance was no firefighter traditiolew one set of bars handed down to another as a special token. Washington was touched and prowasn that bol fy wanted to share with them. When he made lieut. When he made litiatenant goldies bars were the ones into his collar to signify his new length rank. In washingtons experied very pp pnsple like goldie and the but he had very few problems lond aing a black man in the ebe insane if you join the fire for you and read credit. You never hby te hard hby te too througguythis a loan he would tell the young recruits and it was very truns weasteor the hope that no other black firefighter would feel as isolated andrinulnerable in a firehouse as he did in his first days. [applaire. E]. So we hby te beend anoined by ra wilson who will join us in a minute, she is the current ompesident of therinulcan sociey and the first woman to hold that office. Which is a lovely thing and im sure she is busy working because firefighters work all the timns om pplaire. S an. I will turn it over to you tom. Ill stay here you can. Good evening. Its a really good night to have this discussion, any night would ouse a good night because this s something that just doesnt get talked about very much in new yont its a good timns but i didnt realize that when ginger asked me to do this that the day is metal day. Mee dal right so for years i covered city hall in City Politics and you see a lot of nomakense that goes on around town but one of the really wonderful thing that happemak every by tear, is is the first wednesday of june when they do it. Thor in front of city hall, flags, buntings, bagpipers, everyboked shows so in their dress unifor. The chiefs and their big white hats and gloves. All the flrily show up, its a marvelous, wonderful occasion. They gather together to honor all of the acts of true bravery by firefighters and Emergency Service responders. Thor i wasnt wasnt there this year but i looked at the pictures, it struck me ahis cin as i did the first time that this is sort of like the model of what a prowas civic e wcasion that city would have. Lets honor the people that would risk their lives to go into burning buildinou and try to help us. I looked at the pictures differently ousecaire. E i was thinking about this event and i thought about how even though it is a wonent. Ncul occasion, the th towd there doesnt look like most of new york still. It looks lir dont get me wrong but it doesnt get look like the new yont doesnt lond a lir of where were sitting in. Its a dify prent citunl so how did that happen . Its one of those enduring, mystery, puzzle as to how it could ouse that we could hby tes wonderful organization, your Fire Department yet we are so daong and a time when a time when everybody was so conscious of discrimination and the need for cr advancement. Yet to this day it still r. Taimak such a small fmber. So thats what well talk about, we will try to answer a fl w questions for the next fl w mi ftes. All asked them questions and it will open it up and you folto h can open up on your feelings about this book or this event, or, or questions for people who are appeathe c can i start with you, we we havent met. Im pleased to meet you would yoignjust set the stage for us s to where we had now. Your newly eleout ed presient. Nf therinulcan se wiety, congratulations on that. What are the numbers liking a we looking at in terms of proportion of africanamerican, white, of africanamericahave. Whiting a your . Currently africanamericans right now idash every other grououse that is of color is unr 1 . Women are. 5 . I know, wow. So thaoughs where were at right now we are still working, 75 years later to make a lot of these changes happeex the numbers are progressively moving up, hoping that we purse passed 6 , i think thaoughs the most we have had in the history of the dl. Arookent. Six or 7 . We are hoping to pass that. We are working diligently to change those numousers. Hol you you better firefighter since 1989, correct. Youve seen some changes over a perient. N of time since you hbye been there. Do you feel as a result, a lot of this book is about legal case that was filed by the Vulcan Society to try to address this ineq, gty. How how do you thi c its doing . I think because of the laws, gt thats when the ent. Pa. Thement had an opportunity to see the most minorities come out of the class. Most of the classes weve had have been record numbers in history. Our last class had about 53 ook ricanlrericans and thats e of the highest numbers weve ever had. We are mporing strides and our numbers are growing. Because of the lawfronit this is why ioughs been a possin thlityd as for women, the original amount of women that clre in was 41, we are at 46 now. Its very slow. Were still hoping to make great strient. S but because of the lae a, gt we have been able to t more numbers then, due to the hard work of these two gen l. Ten right here and the rest of the Vulcan Society that have been pa. Theicipating. Hol let me ant t another questn before you go. I heard you sad another event that you hby te de or recording of it, there a lot of misunderstanding about this test in tereel of whether people who have failed it in fact, the test is very competitive. You have to hby te how high of a fmber in order to pass . In order to be ill eligible question ma