FF Becomes Northern VA's First Black Female Deputy Chief

A veteran firefighter has become the first African American woman to be named deputy fire chief in northern Virginia.

New Arlington County deputy fire chief Tiffanye Wesley has been with the department for 26 years, WRC-TV reports. In that time, she was the first African American woman to become a battalion chief in northern Virginia.

"I love to be able to inspire, especially women, to just know that you can come into a male-dominated profession," Wesley told WRC. "It's a very difficult profession, but you can do it."

As deputy chief, Wesley oversees recruitment, promotions, discipline and other human resources-related areas. And she does not take her new responsibilities lightly.

“It's a heavy lift," she told WJLA-TV. "It's a huge learning curve, so I'm in that just trying to figure it all out.”

Chief David Povlitz praised Wesley and is pleased with how she's been handling the promotion.

"We had a very wide field, a very qualified field," he told WRC. "It was a hard choice, but she rose to the top based on her experience and her qualifications. We're delighted, and she's off to a good start."