A former Oklahoma City Fire Department assistant chief and member of the “Original 12” died Friday.
Carl Holmes, 90, began his service with the department in 1951 as one of 12 black firefighters hired that year.
Battalion Chief Benny Fulkerson said in a time of racism and discrimination, Holmes and the other men were faced with profound challenges and worked to excel past the normal expectations associated with the job, with many rising through the ranks of the department. Holmes became the department's first black assistant chief in 1978, where he worked to promote diversity and develop leadership and management skills of black firefighters.