New London's first all-Black firefighter crew came together through a mix of luck and timing

Sep. 21—NEW LONDON — The Sept. 12 overnight shift at the city's fire headquarters turned out to be a fairly slow tour of duty for the three-man engine crew staffing the Bank Street location.

There was a two-car crash on the Gold Star Memorial Bridge, followed by a caller reporting an odor of smoke.

So, the team ― Lt. Al Mayo, his cousin, Ralph Mayo III, and Markeno Grant ― spent a good chunk of their 14-hour shift near the station's open bay doors, waving to passersby and soaking in a milestone moment in the department's history: The first time a New London fire crew was staffed entirely by Black firefighters.

"It took a perfect storm of events to make this happen," Al Mayo, 46, said on Thursday. "It's not something you can schedule or even really plan for. None of us are regularly assigned together, so the chances of this happening are very low. But it's something I've looked forward to for the last seven years."

The department runs a four-shift rotation that often relies on members putting in overtime to ensure each engine and ladder truck is staffed. Each crew consists of a supervisor, a driver and a rider, the last responsible for stretching hoses, handling medical issues and other hands-on work.

With only three Black firefighters currently responding to calls in a department with 64 active line employees ― Capt. Nick Brown, a 10-year veteran moved to the fire investigation side of the job on 2021 ― the odds were stacked heavily against getting the three men's schedules to jibe.

First, they needed someone already working a regular shift, in this case 32-year-old Ralph Mayo, the shift rider who was hired three years ago. Then, a supervisor overtime shift needed to open to give Al Mayo, with 13 years of service under his belt, the chance to jump aboard, as he did on Sept. 11.

At that point, Grant, who was supposed to be off on Sept. 12, glanced at the department's scheduling app and saw the opportunity to make history as the shift driver. And with seven years on the job, he also had enough seniority to ensure his request to cover that shift was honored.

"I had to take that job," said Grant, 37. "I'd been waiting my whole time here for this."

Brown said the department got close years ago to manning an all-Black crew with him as supervisor, but a last-minute injury closed that door.

"I didn't find out about the (Sept. 12) shift until the next day," Brown said. "I was super excited it finally happened but disappointed I couldn't be a part of it."

Al Mayo said he saw the crew configuration as a symbolic victory.

"It showed the first Black crew could do the job with the utmost professionalism," he said. "I was the first Black firefighter hired in 35 years and it took us another 13 to years to get to this moment."

Both Al Mayo and Grant said as Black firefighters they carry a responsibility of being role models to other New Londoners of color, especially younger residents.

"Growing up, all the firefighters I'd see on television were Italian, not people who looked like me," Grant said. "A fire department and a police department should reflect the community themselves. I want to go into schools or a medical call and have those people see a firefighter who looks like them and know it's a job they can do, too."

Al Mayo and Grant said the department has recently made positive strides in hiring more minority applicants, with two Hispanic and two Black firefighters in the process of being certified at the Connecticut Fire Academy.

Ralph Mayo, while cognizant of the historical significance of the recent shift and proud of his contribution, said he has a radically different self-view compared to his Black colleagues.

"I am not a Black firefighter; I am a firefighter," he said, noting he has a racial background that includes Black, white and Asian roots. "I am proud to serve with each and every one of my brothers and sisters, regardless of their race or gender."

Al Mayo said the shift drew praise from department supervisors, including Chief Vernon Skau, but was greeted by silence from the city's firefighter union representatives.

Mayo, who admits a rocky relationship with the union he withdrew from earlier this year, said he would have been happy with a social media acknowledgment by the labor group.

"Those kinds of posts on Facebook and other sites, that's how younger people find out about these kinds of milestones and get interested in firefighter careers," Mayo said.

The X page for IAFF Local 1552, which represents New London firefighters, is updated infrequently, with the last post on Jan. 30, 2023. The union's Facebook page is more active with several monthly posts uploaded this year.

Union President Lt. Steve Joly said he was incredibly excited to hear of the recent shift news, noting how a lot of moving pieces needed to come together all at once.

"It's pretty cool and everyone here is pumped about it," Joly said.

Skau said he learned of the historic shift the night it happened after getting a text from Al Mayo.

"My first thought was how exciting it was, but I was also surprised to learn it hadn't happened before," he said. "It's so important our membership reflects in kind our community. This is progress, and our next step is one day having an engine crew with all females."