The mayor of San Francisco swore in the city’s first LGBTI fire chief on Monday (6 May).
Jeanine Nicholson, a 25-year veteran of the fire department, said it was an ‘honor’ to be the first gay chief.
‘Because of my position and job in general, I have been a role model for much LGBTQ youth, and I will continue that’ she said, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Congratulations to newly pinned Chief of Department Jeanine Nicholson. We look forward to working with you and @LondonBreed to keeping #SF safe. #yoursffd pic.twitter.com/MvKL8ATrSi
— SF Firefighters 798 (@SFFFLocal798) May 6, 2019
‘I look forward to ensuring that our department remains prepared to respond to any emergencies facing the city’ she also said.
In her decades-long career, Nicholson has suffered second-degree burns in the line of duty.
She also fought a battle with cancer and has since campaigned for efforts to prevent cancer among firefighters.
Today we swore in our new Fire Chief Jeanine Nicholson, who is the first LGBT Fire Chief in San Francisco’s history. Chief Nicholson is a dedicated public servant and a 25-year veteran of the Department who has worked her way up from being a Firefighter and a Paramedic… pic.twitter.com/kn1MajB0BH
— London Breed (@LondonBreed) May 6, 2019
‘This woman is tough, this woman is resilient, this woman is a leader’ Mayor London Breed reportedly said.
‘I am confident she will be ready to lead the department on day one’.
Breed also said: ‘Yes, she has made history, and will continue to be a role model for so many women, for so many brothers and sisters in our LGBT community.’
According to one attendee, the ceremony included a rendition of Alicia Keys’ Girl on Fire.
City Hall rehearsal going on now for the 11 am swearing in of new San Francisco Fire Chief Jeanine Nicholson. Of course the @aliciakeys song, “This Girl is on Fire,” is part of the program. Has any major city in the world had back-to-back women fire chiefs? 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/pvanRMJlh0
— Heather Knight (@hknightsf) May 6, 2019