The SFBFA[1] was formed as a result of issues concerning Black Americans and other minority members of the Fire Department.
After the riots of 1968, an effort to coordinate the response of the fire services, especially minority firefighters, began to merge.
Firefighter Kevin Smith, SFBFA president in 2011, said "As an organization, we strive to prepare our members for the unexpected, to learn their craft, advance their careers, and protect and serve the communities in which we work.
[5] As a result, the Black Firefighters Association sent emails to it members discussing the incident and racial profiling.
[6] Also, as a result of black male under-representation in the upper ranks of the SFD, when the current fire chief was selected the BFA did not support the choice.