Whats Behind the Claim of White Advantage on the FDNYs Entrance Exam?

One of the more incendiary, yet dubious charges leveled by the FDNY Vulcans against both the FDNY and the City of New York is that white applicants have advantages on the FDNYs entrance exams. Just what is that based on? Captain Paul Washington, who grew up in a family with numerous members on the FDNY, claims that some of the advantage comes from more white applicants having family members on the FDNY. Well, in that case, wouldnt the proper corrective measure seek to redress that alleged advantage for all those without family on the job REGARDLESS of race or ethnic background, while raising the standard for all those candidates who do have family on the FDNY, including the likes of Captain Washington himself? But does that charge really make any sense at all? After all, the test is neither set up nor administered by the FDNY or FDNY personnel, the written exams are formulated by

professionals, as most open competitive exams are AND theyre administered by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services or DCAS, a city agency in which blacks (27% of New York citys population) are OVER-represented (34%) and whites (45% of New York citys population) are UNDERrepresented (37%). No one currently working in the FDNY knows what questions will be on any given entrance exam and prior knowledge of firefighting skills, as some Vollies have, isnt any help on a written exam geared to test your basic reading comprehension, basic logic, etc. All the information you needed to answer any of the questions on the 1999 and 2002 exams was in each test question, so basic reading comprehension was all a candidate needed to pass those exams, NOT family members on the FDNY. Another serious question that MUST BE addressed in regards to the Volunteer Fire Department issue is, given that there are many predominantly black neighborhoods and towns throughout the 6 eligible Counties (Orange, Rockland, Putnam, Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk), places like Hempstead and Wyandanch (on Long Island), WHY are the Volunteer Fire Departments from THOSE predominantly black areas even whiter than the FDNY, virtually all white?!

Another portion of the FDNY hiring process thats been called into question is the Background Investigations. These are carried out outside the purview of the FDNY as well. DCAS enumerates the two things that make a candidate ineligible for appointment and these are (1) a dishonorable discharge from the U.S. Military and (2) a felony conviction. Those two things scuttle the appointments of ANY and EVERY candidate who has one of them. Its been argued that Blacks have a higher rate of dishonorable discharge from the Military than whites and Asians, and that, felony convictions are often culturally based, whereas a white guy caught for DUI often gets a misdemeanor, while a black candidate caught with marijuana in his car, gets a felony rap. The first charge (disparate dishonorable discharge rates) is wholly immaterial. Dishonorable discharges are NOT culturally based. As to the second charge, thats a matter of law. Given that BOTH blacks and whites drink and indulge in marijuana, there appear to be no cultural basis for any such disparities in felony convictions. This charge seems entirely without merit. STILL, group, ethnic charge the myth persists that whites, as a have some innate advantage over minorities (especially blacks). One is that so many whites (like Captain

Paul Washington) have relatives on the FDNY that give them some inside knowledge about these jobs. So, what possible advantage, or inside knowledge could applicants who either know firefighters, or have FDNY members in their families possibly have? OK, they may well know that its a job where a person can work appx. two 24-hour shifts per week and that aside from Fire and Medical calls, they also do building inspections, hydrant inspections and various drills at the Fire Academy, but how exactly does any of that information actually help any given candidate pass a written or physical entrance exam? Fact the they have is, none of that is actually implied as advantage the Vulcans charge. Instead, insinuate that white candidates somehow inside knowledge about the tests.

Interestingly enough, it IS possible that the Vulcan Society of the FDNY actually DID have such inside information on the 2007 written entrance (#6019). The Vulcan Society boasted openly about their prep courses focusing on the new format before that format was released to the public, in the form of exam #6019.

Ironically enough, this is the ONLY evidence that some inside information was leaked in advance to any specific group. What Merit Matters supports is a colorblind, gender-blind set of written and physical entrance exams that hold EVERYONE to the same rigorous set of standards. Theres absolutely no way to argue that that isnt whats best for the FDNY and all the people of the City of New York.

Joseph M Kearney