VIDEO: In honor of Women’s History Month, we are highlighting the courageous women who serve in the Birmingham Fire Department. It all began with one woman: Beverly Thedford, the first woman appointed as Battalion Chief.
Thedford is a trailblazer. She was the first and, until recently, the only woman to serve as a Battalion Chief in the fire department. When she joined the department in the late ‘80s, there were only a few women, and she was determined to advance through the ranks.
“I didn’t think about it when I joined, but when I got there, I realized that it would be different because I’m a woman of color, and there are no women of color in the fire department,” says Chief Thedford.
Being the first one motivated her to keep working hard, and her attitude led to her first promotion.