Nationwide — Tia Tate made history in 2023 when she became the first Black woman hired as a firefighter by the Killeen Fire Department in Texas. A Killeen native, she now serves the community where she grew up. Her path to the profession began after a traumatic experience made her realize she wanted the skills to help people during emergencies.
The Killeen Fire Department, established in 1920, had never hired a Black female firefighter before Tate joined its ranks. A 2012 graduate of Killeen High School, she said returning to serve her hometown made the achievement especially meaningful. However, she did not initially realize she was breaking a barrier. Even now, she prefers to focus on her work rather than the recognition that comes with being the first. “I want to be the type of person that does what I’m supposed to do, has an impact on individuals, does the correct thing whether someone is or is not watching,” she told KWTX.
Her decision to become a firefighter traces back to an incident in Houston, where she witnessed a homicide and tried to help the person who had been affected. She quickly realized she did not have the knowledge or training to provide meaningful assistance. The experience stayed with her, prompting her to make a promise to herself that she would be better prepared if she ever faced a similar situation. “I tried to help the individual that was affected. I didn’t have the knowledge or skills on what to do so I just made a vow that next time I’m in a situation like that I will know what to do and I will be able to help,” she recalled. That promise eventually led her to pursue training as a firefighter and emergency medical technician (EMT).
Firefighting remains a male-dominated profession, but Tate said being a woman does not change how she approaches her responsibilities. She expects herself and her colleagues to handle the demands of the job, regardless of gender. “I just come to work and if you got to keep up, you got to keep up. Either put up or shut up. If you can’t do the work, then get out the way so somebody else can,” she said. Rather than dwell on the challenges of working alongside men, she focuses on proving her abilities through her performance and commitment to keeping people safe.
Keith Foxx, assistant fire chief of administration for the Killeen Fire Department, believes her historic hiring can also encourage more young people to consider firefighting as a career. He said children interested in the profession now have someone they can approach for advice and guidance, particularly those who may not have previously seen people like themselves in the field. Tate hopes to have a similar influence on young girls and women considering careers in traditionally male-dominated industries. She encourages them not to let their appearance, background, speech or upbringing limit their opportunities. Instead, she wants them to focus on developing their skills and committing themselves to the work.
Although Tate’s hiring made her part of Killeen’s history, she believes her ability to help others matters more than the title of being the department’s first Black female firefighter. Whether responding in an ambulance or arriving at an emergency in a fire truck, she knows people depend on her training and ability to protect them. “When it comes down to it, on the back of that ambulance or on this fire truck, nobody cares what I look like under my mask,” she said. “They care if I’m capable of doing my job, if I’m capable of keeping them safe.”