The Decatur Fire Department touts itself as a bastion of progressiveness, pushing boundaries in an arena of public safety that tends to be entrenched in tradition.
It was the first, and remains the only fire department in the United States with an all-female command team, according to city officials. Chief Toni Washington leads the ranks and is supported by Deputy Chief Vera Morrison, her second in command, and Assistant Chief Ninetta Violante.
The three women head up an agency with 55 firefighters, providing steady leadership in one of the most male-dominated lines of work.
“I think that women as a whole bring something unique, something different to organizations that makes us even better as a group,” Washington said.