Author Talk with R. Kevin Mallison, America's First Openly Gay Professional Firefighter

Author R. Kevin Mallison will discuss his memoir, “Alarm in the Firehouse: A Memoir of America’s First Openly Gay Professional Firefighter,” at 6pm, June 30, at the Key West Library Auditorium. Free. Seating is limited.

“In the early 1980s, Kevin Mallison joined the Key West Fire Department. His dream of being a professional firefighter had come true. He hadn't imagined how being gay would threaten his fellow firefighters. Kevin became the target of fierce and unrelenting homophobic assaults intended to force him out of the department. His story highlights the importance of upholding personal values and having a sense of humor when facing adversity. Against a backdrop of the emerging AIDS epidemic, Kevin relays a narrative of conflict, resilience, and triumph over his several years as America's first openly gay professional firefighter.”