Assistant Chief Kim Ianucci blazes trail for women in the Sacramento Fire Department
SACRAMENTO -- When Sacramento Fire Assistant Chief Kim Ianucci decided she wanted a career in firefighting, she set fire to any stigma that stood in her way.
First a fire recruit at the young age of 21, Ianucci would go on to wear many hats over the next four decades. Captain, Battalion Chief and Assistant Chief are just a few of the roles she's played.
Ianucci now oversees the department's newly formed Diversity, Outreach and Recruitment division.
"Showing up and having, you know, a wide representation of our community often reassures the community when they see that diversity that maybe there's somebody there that they can relate to," said Ianucci.
With women making up a fraction of the department, Chief Chris Costamagna says diversity is critical.
"You start to lose the public's trust if you don't have that. And if you don't have the public's trust as a fire department, you really can't do your job anymore," said Chief Costamagna.
"The stigma. It can be really discouraging. It's a male-dominated field," said DeeDee Finn.
Finn is in the Sacramento Youth Fire academy where Assistant Chief Ianucci lit such a fire for her, Finn just applied for the EMS Training position. It's another program Ianucci is overseeing in hopes to add diversity to the department.
"I'm constantly reminded of why I want to do this, because she's doing it right in front of me," said Finn.
"There's still some stigma that girls don't do that," Ianucci told CBS13. "Well, I'm here, and I look like you, and you can be a part of this."
Ianucci knows there's still work to be done considering there are only 21 women in a department of nearly 600.