ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, October 26, 1996 TAG: 9610280022
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DIANE STRUZZI STAFF WRITER
There's less than a week left until the Roanoke Fire Department stops taking applications for at least five open positions on its uniformed staff.
The department hopes to increase its number of women and minorities. Of the 258 employees who respond to fire and medical emergency calls, four are women and 23 are minority men, according to Fire Department statistics. Those numbers are not representative of Roanoke, fire officials admit. According to 1990 census figures, about 24 percent of the city's population is minority.
"The Fire Department should be reflective of the community," said Lt. Rory Lee, who is on the department's recruitment committee. "In order to double what we have now, it'll take maybe 10 years to get up to that amount."
The four women who are firefighters were initially emergency medical technicians and the first women to go through firefighting training in the city. They are assigned to exterior firefighting chores to gain experience, according to fire officials.
The deadline to apply is Friday. Applicants must also be pass a written exam, be interviewed by a panel of firefighters, and pass a psychological exam.
To help applicants prepare for the physical demands of the ability test, two practice sessions have been scheduled for Nov. 23 and 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The test requires an applicant to attempt six tasks, such as pulling a hose up a stairwell, climbing a ladder and lifting a 100-pound dummy during a 50-foot walk.
Last year, applicants had to attempt four of the six tasks. This year the standards are tougher, and applicants must attempt all six and pass at least four of them.
Another change this year is how administrators choose employees. Candidates used to be ranked, and administrators could pick only from the top numbers. This year, candidates will be chosen from the entire pool, allowing more freedom to choose qualified women and minorities, Fire Chief Jim Grigsby said.
Fire officials say their recruitment drive is more focused this year than in the past.
"It's a lot more hands-on, and we're really targeting the local market," Grigsby said.
Anyone interested in applying should contact the Roanoke Department of Personnel Management at (540) 853-2231 or the Roanoke Fire Department at 981-2790.
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