A new documentary, “Fighting More Than Fire,” explores the history and experiences of Black firefighters in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the challenges they have faced in the fire service.
We spoke with the film’s director, Keith Daniels, and three retired Wichita firefighters about the documentary and the parallels between the experiences of Black firefighters in Tulsa and Wichita.
Daniels said he was inspired to make the film after hearing firefighters share their experiences over the years. His personal connection to the fire service also played a role.
“My mom’s life was saved by a firefighter, so we explored that a little bit in the film,” Daniels said.
He eventually met James “Big Daddy” Walker, who became a longtime family friend. Daniels said the combination of those experiences inspired him to tell the story.
Ron Blackwell, a retired Wichita fire chief, spent 24 years with the Wichita Fire Department, including a decade as chief. He has 47 years of experience in the fire service.
Blackwell also served as fire chief in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and became the first African American to serve as fire chief in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, south of Baltimore.
Like some of the firefighters featured in the film, Blackwell did not grow up seeing many Black firefighters. Still, he knew he wanted to become one.
“When people used to ask you, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ I can remember saying to my mom, ‘Mama, I think I want to be a fireman,’” Blackwell said.
He grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, where his mother questioned whether that dream was possible.
“She said to me, ‘Well, baby, I don’t know if you’re going to be able to do that, because I don’t know any colored firemen,’” Blackwell recalled.
He noticed that the crews at the neighborhood fire station were typically all white. But one day, he saw a Black firefighter riding on the back of a fire truck.
Blackwell and a group of children were standing on a street corner when the truck stopped at a traffic light. As it pulled away, the Black firefighter turned and waved.
“He wasn’t waving at anybody in particular, but I thought he was waving at me,” Blackwell said. “And that sealed the deal.”
Personal connections to the fire service
Brad Boyd, a retired Wichita firefighter and 27-year veteran of the department, served as a battalion chief in the Fire Operations Division.
While living in Arizona, Boyd called his uncle, Chester Selmon, who was a Wichita firefighter, to ask about a job.
“He had just retired, and I asked if the Wichita Fire Department was hiring. He said yes,” Boyd said.
Selmon was friends with Jim Bowen, who was chief of training at the time. Boyd moved back to Wichita and was hired about two and a half years later.
Watching “Fighting More Than Fire” brought back memories of his own career, particularly a scene involving an emergency response to a child.
“Listening to the guys recount some of their emergency responses really hit home, especially the paramedic who was working on the kids,” Boyd said. “Not only was I a battalion chief, but I was a paramedic for 18 years, so that one really hit home for me.”
Daniels recalled interviewing Kodi Drew, a Tulsa firefighter, paramedic and registered nurse who described reviving a very sick young child.
During the interview, Drew became emotional as he recounted the experience.
“I’ve had people tell me they’ve seen the film and cried during that moment,” Daniels said. “I told him afterward, ‘You told me you didn’t have nothing, but you had the most powerful moment in the film.’”
David “DD” Wilson, a retired Wichita firefighter and former lieutenant, spent 33 years with the department. His interest in firefighting began after his father suffered a heart attack.
Wilson said the crew from Wichita’s Station 10 comforted his mother during the emergency. One of the firefighters was Bernie Hudspeth, a Black firefighter who was riding on the back of the truck.
Wilson spoke with Hudspeth about becoming a firefighter. Around 1978, the department was recruiting in predominantly Black neighborhoods, distributing flyers to attract applicants.
“I told my mom, ‘I think I’m going to apply for the Wichita Fire Department,’” Wilson said.
Wilson now serves as secretary and historian for the Kansas Firefighters Museum in Wichita. Through his volunteer service and mentoring at the museum, he helps ensure fallen firefighters throughout Kansas are recognized.
Shared experiences, lasting impact
Blackwell was able to relate to some of the scenes in the film.
“I really enjoyed it and saw many of the parallels between African-American firefighters in Tulsa and here in Wichita,” he said.
One scene that particularly resonated with him featured firefighters discussing those who had paved the way for future generations.
Blackwell thought of David Collins, a retired chief officer who was among the first to reach out to him, and Larry Garcia, who served Wichita for 50 years and became a role model for firefighters, particularly firefighters of color.
Blackwell said the film highlights something that’s getting more attention today.
“The psychological toll related to some of the things that you’ve seen, some of the calls that you responded to, and in some cases, some of the ways you’ve been treated,” he said.
Daniels said Black firefighters continue to navigate challenges within departments where white firefighters make up the majority.
“'There’s still a lot of politics,' I think, is a nice way to say it,“ Daniels said. “There’s still a lot of complications within the department, and there are a lot of nuances that Black firefighters still have to face because they’re in a majority-white space.”
However, Daniels said he received support from firefighters of different races while making the documentary. Several white firefighters told him they were glad the story was being told and that he had their support.
Wilson said the experiences portrayed in the film reflect the lives of Black firefighters across the country.
“I don’t care if you are in Los Angeles, New York City, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Tulsa, Oklahoma, or Wichita, Kansas," he said. "You’ve experienced the same things.”
Wilson said the differences often come down to how progressive a department is, how progressive you are and the people around you.
During his career, he said, his goal was to leave the Wichita Fire Department better than he found it.
“I spent a lot of time in specialty departments on the Wichita Fire Department and a lot of time getting specialized training,” Wilson said. “I would do it all over again tomorrow.”
Boyd also hopes his career has influenced younger firefighters. He recalled a Black firefighter who advanced through the ranks, attended paramedic school and told Boyd, “I’m just following you.”
“And so, I said, ‘Follow me. I’ll take you as far as I can,’” Boyd said.
The firefighter remains with the department, and Boyd hopes his example has helped younger employees understand what it takes to advance and build a career in the fire service.
Advice for future firefighters
The retired firefighters agreed that education is an important first step for anyone considering the profession.
Boyd encouraged prospective firefighters to become emergency medical technicians, or EMTs.
He said the job offers the opportunity to become part of a supportive professional community.
“The joy is becoming a part of a brotherhood/sisterhood that goes anywhere in the county,” Boyd said. “You can go anywhere, talk to folks and get help if you need it. And so that’s the joy of it. I’m thankful for it. It’s an interesting career. It’s been a blast.”
Wilson also emphasized education, saying advancement opportunities have improved since the 1980s and '90s. As a sports dad, he added, his work schedule allowed him to spend time at his children’s events while they were growing up.
Blackwell encouraged people with a desire to serve others to consider the profession, while recognizing there will be days and times when you question the decision.
“I would certainly encourage anyone who has that servant heart, who wants to be part of something bigger than themselves, who is looking to be a help to somebody, to do it,” he said.
He added that firefighting is often described as the best job in the world. “And it probably always will be. It’s not for everybody, but if you think you might, like it you should probably try it,” Blackwell said.
Preserving history
Blackwell said the documentary offers audiences an opportunity to learn about the American fire service through the experiences of firefighters of different races and genders.
He noted that a firefighter in the film referred to Tulsa’s historic Black Wall Street, the prosperous Black business district destroyed during the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.
Blackwell said that while there was no Black Wall Street in Wichita, understanding the history and its impact on individuals and institutions is important. It provides insight into the experiences of Black firefighters and the communities they serve.
“You can’t put a price tag on someone willing to share and having that kind of knowledge, he said.
Daniels hopes the film will encourage audiences to support Black filmmakers while preserving stories that might otherwise be lost.
“You’re supporting living history, Black history,” Daniels said. “More importantly, this may be a Tulsa story, but it’s actually a Black American story.”
When Daniels began researching the subject, he realized many of the firefighters who could tell these stories were getting older.
“Ten, 15, 20 years from now, will these stories exist? Who will tell these stories?” he said.
For Daniels, that urgency helped confirm the importance of making the documentary.
“I think the best stories in the world to tell, for any creator, are the ones that only you can tell,” he said. “So, this felt like a story that only I could tell, or that I was willing to tell.”
As part of the Tallgrass Film Festival, Keith Daniels and a panel of retired firefighters will take part in a Q&A following a screening of "Fighting More than Fire" at 5:15 p.m. Saturday at the Boulevard in Old Town Square. The film also will screen at 11:45 a.m. Friday.
