This is the time of year that attentions turn to diversity and inclusion. And an occasional question to Mr. History is “who were the first X, Y, Z” in the history of the Raleigh Fire Department. Let’s dig into those old (and newer) milestones, and build a list accordingly. Here we go. Inputs welcome, notably data correction.
First Female Lieutenants
04/04/84 – Lynn, B. A.
04/04/84 – Styons, T. A.
09/21/88 – Rubens, C. R.
02/04/87 – Jones, B. P.
01/18/89 – Lewis, L. S.
01/30/91 – Pickard, P. G.
01/16/99 – Britt, K. C.
01/14/12 – Whitaker, M. L.
12/01/12 – Peterson, M. A.
01/02/14 – Ali, D. M.
01/01/15 – Gutierrez, A. O.
01/01/16 – Johnson, E. D.
01/01/16 – Smith, M. R.
06/01/17 – Patterson, J. K.
etc.
First Female Captains
02/04/87 – Styons, T. A.
01/18/89 – Lynn, B. A.
01/30/91 – Jones, B. P.
01/30/91 – Pickard, P. G.
03/04/95 – Rubens, C. R.
12/20/97 – Lewis, L. S.
01/07/17 – Ali, D. M.
04/01/19 – Gutierrez, A. O.
etc.
First Female Battalion Chiefs
10/28/95 – Styons, T. A.
01/21/06 – Pickard, P. G.
First Female Division Chief
12/20/97 – Styons, T. A.
First Female Assistant Chief
07/01/06 – Styons, T. A.
First Black Lieutenants
05/21/70 – Davis , R.
07/01/71 – Peacock, N. M.
10/06/71 – Jones, W.
10/01/75 – Hinton, T.
??/??/?? – Green, J. (by 1978)
02/15/78 – Brooks, W. E.
10/11/78 – Breeden, J. L.
04/08/81 – Forte, L.
10/07/81 – Smith, R. L.
??/??/?? – Debnam, R. S (by 1981)
06/30/82 – Dunn, W. “Tramp”
10/03/82 – Young, M. L.
08/06/84 – Dunn Jr., W.
04/04/84 – Hunter, A. N.
04/04/84 – Stanford, L.
03/12/86 – Allen, J. H.
02/04/87 – Burton, W. L.
12/09/87 – Evans, P. V.
02/22/92 – Spence, R. W.
12/12/92 – Tisdale, W. A.
02/05/94 – Strayhorn, D. C.
10/28/95 – Sampson, C. L.
11/25/95 – Edmundson, T.
01/06/96 – Buxton, G. C.
01/06/96 – Dunn, W. E.
01/06/96 – Usher, T.
04/13/96 – Moore, R. F.
etc.
First Black Captains
01/09/74 – Davis, R.
11/14/74 – Peacock, N.
09/DD/78 – Greene J.
04/08/81 – Hinton, T.
10/07/81 – Brooks, W. E.
??/??/?? – Debnam, R. S. (by 1983)
07/13/87 – Stanford, L.
10/05/91 – Breeden, J. L.
03/07/92 – Allen, J. H.
03/05/94 – Burton, W. L.
07/08/96 – Dunn, W. “Tramp”
02/01/97 – Young, M. L.
etc.
First Black Battalion Chiefs
10/22/80 – Davis, R.
11/30/91 – Stanford, L.
06/01/13 – Coppage, K. L.
Note: Position was named District Chief before 2004.
First Black Division Chiefs
02/13/91 – Davis, R.
01/20/96 – Stanford, L.
01/01/17 – Coppage, K. L.
Note: Position was named Battalion Chief before 2004.
First Black Assistant Chief
10/02/99 – Stanford, L.
First Black Chief of Department
09/08/20 – Griffin, H.
First Black Female Lieutenant
04/01/19 – Webb, K. O.
First Latino Lieutenants
06/01/13 – Arevelo, P. F.
01/01/15 – Gutierrez, A. O.
01/01/15 – Leiva-Penate, J. F.
03/01/20 – Lee, M. L.
First Latino Captains
04/01/19 – Gutierrez, A. O.
01/01/20 – Arevelo, P. F.
03/01/21 – Leiva-Penate, J. F.
First Latino Female Lieutenants
01/01/15 – Gutierrez, A. O.
03/01/20 – Lee, M. L.
First Latino Female Captain
04/01/19 – Gutierrez, A. O.
Also
What about the categories of (a.) American Indian or Alaska Native, (b.) Asian, and (c.) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander? Believe just one person in those groups so far, in ranks of Lieutenant or higher, Captain Chris Holcomb, of Pacific Islander heritage, and who you may remember from this May 2021 city news story about AAPI Heritage Month.
Notes
These lists exclude the ranks of First Class Firefighter and Senior Firefighter, which reside between FF and Lt.
Sources
Legeros records
Raleigh Fire Museum Centennial Roster
raleighfiremuseum.org/docs/roll-call.pdf
Raleigh Fire Department newsletter, promotional news.
www.raleighfirenews.org
Raleigh Fire Museum FB postings, promotional notes
www.facebook.com/raleighfiremuseum