ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — According to a report from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), as of 2020, there were 364,300 career firefighters and 676,900 volunteer firefighters in the U.S.
Citing the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the NFPA reports the following for career firefighters:
- 13.1% were Hispanic or Latino
- 8.4% were African-American
- 1.2% were Asian
- 4.4% were female
Locally, the St. Petersburg Fire Rescue (SPFR) Chief Jim Large is making good on a promise to improve those numbers within his department—especially as it pertains to higher-ranking positions.
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On December 11, the department held a ceremony to honor the promotion of 14 staff members. It included two women, who now hold the title of district chief for the first time in department history, and a man whose promotion to captain is shattering historic racial barriers.
Divine Interruptions
After 16 years, Captain Deveron Curry is used to the interruptions that come with living in a firehouse.
In fact, he told ABC Action News that his journey to SPFR started with something of a divine interruption.
"I found myself at Albertsons being a meat cutter. And a couple guys came in from this station and was like, 'Why are you here? You might as well come work for the fire department.' And I was like, 'You know what? I need a job. My dad did it. Let's just see what it's about,'" he said.
Several promotions have led Deveron to outrank his late father, Eugene Curry, at the same department where Eugene started his career as one of the first Black firefighters in 1971.
"He was more around when racial slurs were being used freely," said Deveron, "I think that's why it makes it more important for me to continue to work hard and move forward because he wasn't able to do those things. And I know I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him."
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It's a passing of the baton that has the newly-minted Captain Curry thinking about what future promotion he'll likely strive for next.
"Probably District Chief," he said.
And it also has him pushing forward to leave the next generation a little further ahead.
"I want people who look like me, who come from where I come from, to be able to say, 'If he can do it, I can do it,'" he said.
Following a review of St. Pete Fire Rescue in August, Chief Large said that he'd also like to start an advisory group to help improve diversity in the department. ABC Action News reached out to a department spokesperson, who said that an advisory board is being planned out right now.
