Trailblazing promotions at the South Bend Fire Department
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — During a meeting of the South Bend’s Board of Public Safety on Wednesday, four firefighters were promoted, including Erin Tibbs, who burned down barriers, becoming the first female firefighter to attain the position of Captain in a Special Assignment Role at the South Bend Fire Department.
Tibbs proved herself over the years, going above and beyond as a lead paramedic, peer support team leader, and a member of the human relations committee.
Tibbs repeatedly demonstrated remarkable leadership and teamwork skills.
In the words of Carl Buchanon, Fire Chief of the South Bend Fire Department, “She's very much respected throughout the rank and file. And that’s what’s the most important thing, that it’s not just an appointment by the fire chief. It’s an acknowledgment from your peers, the people around you, that they know you can handle this, that you are who you say you are. And so, for me, she is one of the best firefighter/paramedics that I have ever seen, and we have a lot of them.”
Friends, family, and colleagues gathered at the ceremony, as the Board of Public Safety approved Tibbs as a Captain in Special Assignment.
Tibbs enjoyed the moment, stating, “It’s pretty cool to see everybody come out to support all of us that are getting promoted today. All four of us worked really hard for this so the support that we get is pretty awesome.”
In addition to Tibbs, the other promotions of Captain in Special Assignment included Jon Knepp, David Tague, and Kevin Brown.
Derek Erquhart was also promoted to Assistant Chief of Fire Prevention during the presentation.
Erquhart pointed out that Tibbs’ promotion serves as a good example for the community. “It’s groundbreaking. “With everybody, we look at sports, we look at all the stuff Caitlin Clark has done recently this past year. She’s been in the news a lot. It’s good for women in general. It gives people something to look up to, young girls something to look up to. You know, anybody can do this job. It’s a very physical, demanding job, but we have other females on the job, and they all do a wonderful job. It’s great working alongside all of them. And I’m really excited for Erin and all of the things that she can accomplish in the rest of her career.'
Tibbs expressed that, in her new role, she is ready to set the stage for other female firefighters. “It’s really exciting and emotional and a little nerve wracking, too. And hopefully, it just shows other girls and women that this is totally attainable. It’s something that they can do with just hard work and dedication and just the strive to be the best that you can and someday they can be the captain as well.”
Other leaders at the South Bend Fire Department say that they hope Tibbs is the first of many women to follow in this role, as firefighters continue to better themselves, not only for the department, but for the citizens they serve.