Joe Smith, Henderson’s first African American firefighter, attends a ceremony held in his honor at the Henderson Fire Dept. Station 82 Monday, Nov. 15, 2021.
Monday, Nov. 15, 2021 | 3:21 p.m.
The Henderson Fire Department today honored Joe Smith Jr., a former Basic Magnesium Industrial firefighter and Nevada Test Site fire captain who was the first African American firefighter in the city.
At the ceremony at the fire department training center, Deputy Fire Chief Scott Vivier presented Smith with an honorary firefighter’s helmet, emblazoned with Smith’s last name on the back brim.
It was both a testament to his achievements and a birthday present, as the ceremony fell on Smith’s 80th birthday, Vivier said.
“This occasion truly is a special day for the city of Henderson, especially since we get to honor someone who has had not only a lasting impression not only on the Nevada firefighting industry but also in our city of Henderson,” Vivier said.
In 1966, Smith started his journey at BMI that would extend over 17 years. He was the first African American firefighter and paramedic there, according to city officials and his family.
Smith assisted in saving lives during the Nov. 21, 1980, MGM Grand fire, where he was one of more than 200 firefighters who answered the call for help, Vivier said. The fire killed 87 people and injured hundreds of others.
BMI closed in 1983, but Smith continued working with the Nevada Test Site.
He assisted other hazardous situations, including explosions at Apex in 1988 and Titanium Metals Corp. in 1998.
Smith was recognized by Rep. Steven Horsford, D-NV, on Jan. 20, when Horsford ordered the American flag be flown over the U.S. Capitol to honor Smith’s service.
“The biggest reward to me is I was able to take care of my family,” Smith said after the ceremony. “The job made it possible for me to be able to do all the things for my kids, and that made me happy and made them happy.”
His daughter Dawn Smith started organizing today’s event about a year ago after she found a photo of her father at BMI. She was sure he was the first Black firefighter in Henderson and contacted the fire department with her discovery.
After the ceremony, a crowd of picture-taking, cheery-faced family members swarmed Joe Smith.
“There are generations of families in my area that have known my dad forever, but they don't know his history,” Dawn Smith said after the event. “They don't know his story.”
