Austin Fire Department Marker Honors 'Pass The Torch' Initiative

EAST AUSTIN, TX — Austin Fire Department officials on Monday unveiled a new marker for its "Pass the Torch" program aimed at encouraging minorities to become firefighters.

The marker is located next to a statue honoring the city's first African American firefighters at the George Washington Carver Museum in East Austin. One of those firefighters, the late Cpt. Willie Ray Davis, started the program in 2002.

"Because of him, we have an inclusive fire department," Davis's daughter, Cora Wright, told reporters at the ceremony. "And because of him, people of minority descent are also able to pursue their dreams and their career goals."

Davis, along with Nathaniel Kindred and Roy Greene, are pioneers in the department as the first black firefighters when they joined in 1952.

According to information found in the "Pass the Torch" program webpage, the academy consists of nine Saturday sessions. The program provides participants with the opportunity to learn about the fire service and emergency medical services response in a safe, controlled, and educational environment. Participants engage in activities that include vehicle extrication, swift water rescue, emergency medical procedures, and fire extinguisher training. The program is designed to give individuals a glimpse into the cadet academy and a first-hand feel for life in the fire service, officials wrote.

Since Davis founded the program, officials said more than 100 people have completed it. Applications for the Pass the Torch program are being accepted through Jan. 15.

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