Up To Date

Kansas City's Fire Department Is Failing To Diversify Its Ranks

By Steve Kraske,

Published May 10, 2021 at 3:02 PM CDT

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Photograph looking down the side of a fire truck parked inside the firehouse. The passenger side door displaying the letter K, C, F, D is open. — A year-long investigation by The Kansas City Star found that there is a pattern of systemic racism and harassment in the Kansas City Fire Department that has been tolerated by the department for decades.

Even after being sued for discrimination, the Kansas City, Missouri, fire department's progress in recruiting firefighters of color has been slow.

According to the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters, a failure to increase recruitment, advancement and retention of Black firefighters can be found in firehouses throughout the country.

Gary Tinney, executive vice president of the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters
Sylvia Brown, president of Equality for Firefighters through Education, Community Service and Training
Regina Wilson, firefighter for the New York Fire Department

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Up To Date Podcast Kansas City Missouri (KCMO)Kansas City Fire Department investigations Racism Discrimination diversity diversity training Racial Equity minority hiring

Steve Kraske

When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.

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Danie Alexander

As senior producer of Up To Date, I want our listeners to hear familiar and new voices that shine light on the issues and challenges facing the myriad communities KCUR serves, and to expose our audiences to the wonderful and the creative in the Kansas City area. Just as important to me is an obligation to mentor the next generation of producers to ensure that the important conversations continue. Reach me at alexanderdk@kcur.org.

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Mackenzie Martin

Whether it’s something happening right now or something that happened 100 years ago, some stories don’t fit in the short few minutes of a newscast. As a podcast producer and reporter at KCUR Studios, I help investigate questions and local curiosities in a way that brings listeners along for adventures with plot twists and thought-provoking ideas. Sometimes there isn’t an easy answer in the end – but my hope is that we all leave with a greater understanding of the city we live in. Reach me at mackenzie@kcur.org.

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