Dr. Kevin Mallinson, PhD, Nurse, and Author on Being the First Openly Gay Fire Fighter in the U.S., Serving the Disenfranchised, and the Power of Asking Questions First. Part 1

Send us Fan MailKevin Mallinson joined the Key West Fire Department in the early 1980’s, unaware he would be the first openly gay firefighter in the country.  From his first day until his last, Kevin was physically and mentally assaulted, including attempts that could easily have ended in his death. Never backing down from who he was, he learned to disarm his attackers with intelligence, humor, and a ironclad commitment to non-violence.  The survival lessons he learned as a firefighter would lead him into nursing, earning a MSN and PhD. from John Hopkins. Part 1 focuses on his time as a firefighter. It’s an incredible story of personal bravery and toughness, coupled with a compassion for others that extended to even for those who attacked him. No matter what he does, Kevin never fails to understand the perspective of others.