On this edition of Code 3, we’re talking with a firefighter/paramedic who is using the internet to reach young people to tell them about a career as a firefighter.
RJ Clarke is working on a documentary photography project titled “The Color of Fire.”
After 15 years in the fire service, RJ noticed that young kids in the communities he visited rarely considered firefighting as a career because they rarely saw representation of firefighters of
color. Currently, about 8 percent of US firefighters are black.
In response, he set out to document black firefighters during the quieter, everyday moments between alarms, as well as at work on the fireground.
With over a million views online, the project highlights positive representation, community connection, and the true reality of the job. Today, he shares what inspired the project, the impact it’s having, and his plans to turn it into a traveling gallery for the next generation.
Resources:
The Color of Fire YouTube Channel