{"id":909,"date":"2016-06-11T16:39:27","date_gmt":"2016-06-11T20:39:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/?p=909"},"modified":"2019-07-27T09:52:56","modified_gmt":"2019-07-27T13:52:56","slug":"comparing-numbers-of-minority-firefighters-in-north-carolinas-largest-cities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/comparing-numbers-of-minority-firefighters-in-north-carolinas-largest-cities\/","title":{"rendered":"Comparing Numbers of Minority Firefighters in North Carolina’s Largest Cities"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Fayetteville Observer <\/em>today includes this story by Andrew Barksdale<\/a> about the Fayetteville Fire Department\u2019s efforts to improve the number of minority firefighters. Solid story, though invoking a quite a few negative reaction among readers, at least on the paper\u2019s Facebook posting of the story<\/a>. (Yeah, yeah, never read the comments after a story. It\u2019ll just ruin your mood.)<\/p>\n

Included is an interesting data table, comparing minority firefighters among the state\u2019s largest cities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Largest cities in NC<\/th>\nWhite firefighters<\/th>\nBlack firefighters<\/th>\nHispanic firefighters<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Charlotte<\/td>\n85%<\/td>\n11.5%<\/td>\n2.2%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Raleigh<\/td>\n81%<\/td>\n15.1%<\/td>\n2.4%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Greensboro<\/td>\n77%<\/td>\n16%<\/td>\n3%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Durham<\/td>\n76%<\/td>\n20%<\/td>\n1.8%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Winston-Salem<\/td>\n70.4%<\/td>\n26.1%<\/td>\n2.7%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fayetteville<\/td>\n90%<\/td>\n3.2%<\/td>\n2.9%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cary<\/td>\n94%<\/td>\n2.7%<\/td>\n2.2%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wilmington<\/td>\n89%<\/td>\n6.3%<\/td>\n4%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
High Point<\/td>\n85%<\/td>\n9.4%<\/td>\n0%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

What are the demographic percentages for those cities? Let\u2019s add those, with sources citied:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Largest cities in NC<\/th>\nWhite firefighters<\/th>\nWhite Population<\/th>\nBlack firefighters<\/th>\nBlack Population<\/th>\nHispanic firefighters<\/th>\nHispanic Population<\/th>\nDemographics
\nSource<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Charlotte<\/td>\n85%<\/td>\n50%<\/td>\n11.5%<\/td>\n35%<\/td>\n2.2%<\/td>\n13.1%<\/td>\nUS Gov (2010)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Raleigh<\/td>\n81%<\/td>\n57.5%<\/td>\n15.1%<\/td>\n29.3%<\/td>\n2.4%<\/td>\n11.4%<\/td>\nUS Gov (2010)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Greensboro<\/td>\n77%<\/td>\n48.4%<\/td>\n16%<\/td>\n40.6%<\/td>\n3%<\/td>\n7.5%<\/td>\nUS Gov (2010)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Durham<\/td>\n76%<\/td>\n53%<\/td>\n20%<\/td>\n38.6%<\/td>\n1.8%<\/td>\n13.4%<\/td>\nUS Gov (2014)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Winston-Salem<\/td>\n70.4%<\/td>\n77.4%<\/td>\n26.1%<\/td>\n13.2%<\/td>\n2.7%<\/td>\n17.4%<\/td>\nUS Gov (2014)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fayetteville<\/td>\n90%<\/td>\n45.7%<\/td>\n3.2%<\/td>\n41.9%<\/td>\n2.9%<\/td>\n10.1%<\/td>\nUS Gov (2010)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cary<\/td>\n94%<\/td>\n73.1%<\/td>\n2.7%<\/td>\n8%<\/td>\n2.2%<\/td>\n7.7%<\/td>\nUS Gov (2010)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wilmington<\/td>\n89%<\/td>\n73.5%<\/td>\n6.3%<\/td>\n19.9%<\/td>\n4%<\/td>\n6.1%<\/td>\nUS Gov (2010)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
High Point<\/td>\n85%<\/td>\n53.6%<\/td>\n9.4%<\/td>\n33.0%<\/td>\n0%<\/td>\n8.5%<\/td>\nUS Gov (2010)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

How fresh is the originating data, for the various fire departments? Don\u2019t know. Let\u2019s presume the write contacted each of the fire departments, for the latest, greatest data.<\/p>\n

How does the data compare with fire departments nationally, such as the nation\u2019s largest departments? Can\u2019t readily find any \u201cone chart\u201d comparison. Would like to see one, though. Maybe readers know of such a thing.<\/p>\n

Nationally, the NFPA maintains statistics on firefighting occupations by women and race<\/a>, with the latest data from 2012:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Year \/ Total<\/th>\nWhite firefighters<\/th>\nBlack firefighters<\/th>\nHispanic firefighters<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
295,000 (2012)<\/td>\nBelow 82.4%<\/td>\n7.7%<\/td>\n9.9%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
295,600 (average 2008-2012)<\/td>\nBelow 83.4%<\/td>\n7.2%<\/td>\n99.4%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Note: Why \u201cbelow\u201d for the white firefighter percentage? Because there are likely other races computed in the total, that aren\u2019t listed in the NFPA report.<\/p>\n