Michele Fitzsimmons became the New York City Fire Department's first female deputy chief. Fitzsimmons, a 24-year veteran of the FDNY, was promoted from battalion chief to deputy chief. Her appointment is said to be highest ranking of female within the department's fire operations.

She’s puts the “blaze” in trailblazer! The first female FDNY Deputy Chief ever was promoted Friday, as top brass hailed her for “shattering the glass ceiling” in the male-dominated field. Battalion Chief Michele Fitzsimmons — a 24-year veteran who joined the Bravest a few months before 9/11— was named Deputy Chief of fire operations at a packed promotion ceremony in Queens.

FDNY officer Michele Fitzsimmons, who was told by her grandfather that “women shouldn’t be firefighters” is poised to become the highest-ranked woman uniformed firefighter in