Kansas City’s interim fire chief, Donna Maize, will become the first woman to lead the department, the city announced in a press release Wednesday.
Maize, who was serving in City Manager Troy Schulte’s office, took the helm as interim chief in September when Gary Reese stepped down. Schulte on Wednesday appointed her to the permanent position, which she had indicated previously that she didn’t plan on pursuing.
“I thrive on the positivity I receive daily from the department and see a renewed sense of purpose in our responders,” Maize said in the release. The Kansas City Fire Department has long played a role in Maize’s life. Maize joined KCFD in 1992, where her father was also a firefighter, and the two fought several blazes together.