VIDEO: During a meeting of the South Bend’s Board of Public Safety on Wednesday, four firefighters were promoted, including Erin Tibbs, who burned down barriers, becoming the first female firefighter to attain the position of Captain in a Special Assignment Role at the South Bend Fire Department.
Tibbs proved herself over the years, going above and beyond as a lead paramedic, peer support team leader, and a member of the human relations committee.
In the words of Carl Buchanon, Fire Chief of the South Bend Fire Department, “She's very much respected throughout the rank and file. And that’s what’s the most important thing, that it’s not just an appointment by the fire chief. It’s an acknowledgment from your peers, the people around you, that they know you can handle this, that you are who you say you are. And so, for me, she is one of the best firefighter/paramedics that I have ever seen, and we have a lot of them.”