KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — Knoxville Fire Department veteran Carla Jones now holds two department distinctions: She is the first woman and the first black woman to be named an assistant chief.
KFD spokesman Capt. D.J. Corcoran confirmed the appointment Friday.
Jones joined the department in December 1994.
WBIR featured Jones last year in a story about the advancement of women on the force of about 300. At that time there were more than 15 women in the KFD.
Jones said then that while the industry had made progress, there was still more work to do.
"Not as far as we would like it to be, but it's small steps," Jones said.
Jones added the simple act of encouraging more women to join is what matters.
"It's so important that we put out that you can do anything you want to do," she said.
If she or her coworkers could impart any advice to little girls wondering if they could fight fires, too, they'd say something like this:
"I always tell them if I can do it, you can do it," Jones said. "So don't give up if you have a dream. Go for it because dreams do come true."