Green Grows Through The Glass Ceiling
Prince George’s County Welcomes Ninth African American Woman In U.S. History As Fire Department Chief
By Ian Harmon
The glass ceiling continues to be shattered. This time, the woman to break through is doing so as a first responder and a warrior against the ravages of fire.
On Feb. 4, history was made when Tiffany Green was sworn in as the Fire Department Chief in Prince George’s County, MD. She is the county’s first woman and only the ninth African American woman in U.S. history to become Chief. Despite the long and tough journey it has been to arrive at her new title, that amazing feat is not the finish line - but instead the start of the next phase on that continuing journey.
“I am humbled by all the love and support that I have received throughout my career and the last few months,” Green said when she was named to the post. “I remain grounded in the fact that there have been many people who have made sacrifices for me to be here today. I am also now more than ever aware that my story is an inspiration to others, and I want to be able to continue to shatter glass ceilings.”
A Native Prince Georgian, Green grew up in Fort Washington, attended Apple Grove Elementary and graduated from Riverdale Baptist High School. It was while attending George Washington University that she found the passion that started her career journey.
“I was introduced to firefighting while participating in a ride-along for an Emergency Medical Technician’s course through George Washington University. As soon as I started, I was hooked. I signed up to be a volunteer and four years later, I applied to be a career firefighter. I didn’t come from a public safety background and had never seen any African American firefighters nor had I seen any women firefighters. The career field was new to me, but my passion for helping others is what drew me in.”
So, what does that next phase entail?
Chief Green has crafted a focused five-year plan with a mantra to always deliver the best Fire, Rescue, and EMS services possible. Her emphasis is on three critical areas:
-Preventing the Call: Introducing programs that promote a plan to reduce the number of calls for service each year.
-Accreditation: Chief Green’s goal is to have the Prince George’s County Fire/ EMS Department become an accredited agency through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) issued by the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE).
-Service Delivery: The performance measures put in place will hold the department accountable and drive decision making.
Says Chief Green to anyone aspiring to achieve their own goals,
“The single motivator for me to be a fire chief is the fact that there was no one in the position that looked like me. The journey may not be easy but it’s worth it. Always strive for your best and never settle, even when you don’t see anyone that looks like you in that position.”
