Upload
Change your cover photo
Upload
Apply Cancel
RMcra
Change your cover photo
Robert McCray
Robert McCray
This user account status is Approved

This user has not added any information to their profile yet.

Headshot
Robert
McCray
Austin Fire Department - Austin, TX
Austin Fire Department - Austin, TX
Austin Fire Department - Austin, TX (AAAFFA)
South Central
No
offline

Robert has been a firefighter for over 15+ years and currently serves in the rank of Fire Specialist. He began his fire service career with Travis County ESD's for 6 years while becoming the first paid African American Firefighter at North Lake Travis Fire Rescue and then joining the Austin Fire Department as the only African Americans hired out of more than 4000 applicants. Robert currently holds the position of the Vice President with the Austin African-American Fire Fighters Association (AAAFFA). Prior to this position, he served as the Interim President for AAAFFA after past chapter President Assistant Chief Davis moved to the political advisor position. While serving as chapter president, Robert helped fill chapter Eboard member positions, run an election process, represent the AAAFFA in South-Central Region monthly meetings, as well as host and manage the South-Central Region monthly meetings via Zoom. Robert has over 5 years of experience as the Recording Secretary for AAAFFA and over 12 years as a chapter member. He has attended several International Association of Black Professional, Firefighter conferences, and conventions.


He has served the department as a Fire Explorer post Advisor for more than 3 years mentoring young men and women into the fire service and helping them becoming Firefighters. Robert is also a 2018 Community Award Winner for his distinguished service and commitment for helping shape the Fire Explorer Post 370 as a top post in the Capital Area Council of central Texas. Robert fought and led the policy change for the Austin Fire Department on the C.R.O.W.N. Act as well as assisted with the fight to gain the use of Association Business Leave hours for the AAAFFA chapter. Robert has over 5 years of experience serving on the AFD Uniform committee as well as the Cadet Oversite committee.


His certifications include: Advance Firefighter, Master Firefighter (pending)Instructor I and II, Fire Officer I, and Inspector I and II pending. Going into his sophomore year at Fire Rescue International, Robert is working to complete his degree in the Officer Development Program. Outside of the fire service, Robert volunteers with the Man In Me project as well as his radio show on the longest running Black community radio station in Texas, KAZI 88.7FM. Robert is the father to a beautiful daughter and helps manage a growing zoo of her pet fish, hamsters, dogs, corn snake, chameleon, and chickens, yes that's right, chickens. A little Miss Doctor Dolittle in the making. Currently, Robert is working with the Austin Fire Department's Recruiting program to help achieve the goal of improving the number of minorities in the department. His goal is to help produce great high-quality Firefighters that will excel in the fire service and become great community leaders of today and tomorrow.


Comments (26)

To all our IABPFF, EDI and Chicago Fire Department family, I regret to bring sad news and condolences on the passing of former Deputy Fire Commissioner of the Chicago Fire Department, Nicholas Russell.
This news is sudden and I ask all to give the family and Department time and space to grieve and then notify us of arrangements. Please the family in your prayers.

So sorry to hear of the passing of Brother Outerbridge. I can remember him being argumentative on the convention floor back in the 70s. I see he continued to voice his strong opinions well after retirement in some of the things he wrote. Thank you for your committment and contributions to the IABPFF. Rest in Peace

Biography, RIP Brother

Fireman Leslie Outerbridge risked his life to save others and risked his job for racial justice. Born December 29, 1936 in Chicago, Outerbridge grew up in the Cabrini Green projects. His father, a former cricket champion from Bermuda, taught him about fair play. Outerbridge was a good student at Jenner School and entered Wells High School early at age twelve. Dropping out at age fifteen, he joined the Air Force in 1953. There, he played on the installations’ basketball, football and baseball teams. After his discharge, Outerbridge drove a taxi, until his father’s friend, Robert Thompson, a black firefighter, “sponsored” him for the Chicago Fire Department (CFD). Outerbridge passed the written exam, but “failed” his first physical. Later, Outerbridge found that his father’s donation of $300 ensured that he “passed” the second time around in 1961. Outerbridge later returned to school, earning a B.S. from Chicago State University in 1981.

In 1968, Outerbridge, along with Jim Winbush and Wesley Thompson and backed by the NAACP, Operation PUSH, and the Chicago Urban League, with inspiration from Father George Clements, Anderson Thompson, and legal assistance from Attorney Kermit Coleman, formed the Afro American Firefighters League (AAFL). The AAFL completed a study in 1973 that detailed the Chicago Fire Department’s record of racial discrimination in hiring and promotional practices. The United States Justice Department filed a lawsuit against the City of Chicago that same year. Mayor Daley signed the court ordered “consent decree” in 1977, which resulted in increasing the number of black firefighters from 125 to 400 by 1979. Now, the number is over 1,000. Forced to fight a relentless paper war with unhappy CFD brass, Outerbridge discovered that paperwork was their weakness. For thirty-seven years he performed his duties and retired in 1995. Outerbridge was also a founder of the International Association of Black Professional Firefighters in 1969.

A talented photographer and part time model, Outerbridge has researched the history of African Americans, the CFD and the great Chicago fires – a history that goes back to 1873 when Willie Watkins was the first black firefighter. Outerbridge lives in Chicago’s West Chesterfield neighborhood with his wife, Annie.

It has come to my attention that Brother Les Outerbridge of Chicago passed to reward yesterday. Brother Outerbridge was a warrior in the war of racism and discrimination on the Chicago Fire Department and he left his legacy, his book called SMOKE. My Brother will be missed by all that knew him. Rest in Peace Warrior.

IABPFF Member Action Item Matrix

-Make sure you are financial and on your submitted chapter list or the individual member list
-Verify login capability Establish a IABPFF website profile, with bio. Copy old bio info from Drum if applicable. Add city skyline Wallpaper, chapter Logo(Chapter Logo archive is available), and Headshot
-When entering your chapter name also put the acronym in parentheses so that your members will come up in a search if they put in either one
-Verify info, add website etc
-If a board member, add position and link to area of responsibility
-Add facebook/LinkedIn page link, and original membership date
-Become familiar with the IABPFF website
-Save the link to pages of importance, and share with others like the Employment, Executive Board, and Membership pages
-Subscribe to the Announcements page
-Make sure your region and chapter is represented on the site
-Go and add an announcement in your regions area about any of your members that have retired, passed away, or got promoted. Each region has its own area for promotions, retirements or funerals.
-Know who your Regional Director is
-Make note of your areas of interest, the committee associated with them, it’s Chair, and their page
-Consider a committee to head up or work with on the national level
-Those in key positions at the local level should make note of and connect with their regional and national counterparts
-Directors, make sure all committees have a regional Representative

Website Registration Tutorial
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XDeCFZnyRhWxeWYOocTMCEdoD4wbcrPC/view

Leave a Reply