New San Francisco Fire Chief Adds Latest Chapter To City's LGBTQ 'Herstory'
by Anne Makovec and Jennifer Mistrot
(KPIX 5) -- Jeanine Nicholson has made 'herstory' after being sworn in as San Francisco newest fire chief as the first openly LGBTQ head of the department. Chief Nicholson officially took over May 6th, 2019, pledging her continued service to the City she loves and embraced as a young LGTBQ person.
"I came to San Francisco in 1990," recalled Nicholson. "Because I knew it was a place I could be who and how I was. "
The New York native is a 25-year veteran of the San Francisco Fire Department and is only the second woman to hold the position of Chief. But firefighting is not something she says she always knew she wanted to do. In fact, Nicholson says she was recruited into the job by a friend at the 1991 Gay Pride Parade.
"She basically said to me, 'Can you carry heavy stuff?'" recalled Nicholson. "And I said, sure, and she said 'C'mon then, you'll be fine.'"
It was a casual suggestion that turned into a career decision that would change Nicholson's life forever. As it turned out, the job was a natural fit.
"I'm not somebody who goes out and looks for attention, like, look at me, I'm the first this or I'm the first that. That is not my MO. That's not how I roll," said Nicholson. "[But] I love a good crisis. I want to get in there and help and make sense of the madness, calm from the chaos."
Nicholson has faced plenty of obstacles. She suffered second-degree burns at an arson fire in 2009 where other firefighters were also injured, one critically. Nicholson has also survived breast cancer, leading her to campaign for safer working conditions for firefighters, who face higher rates of cancer after years of exposure to burning chemicals.
"[Firefighters] are much more likely to die, like we say, with our boots off, than anything else," explained Nicholson.
As for her own cancer fight, Nicholson said it was her brothers and sisters at the department who provided her with unconditional support.
"It showed me how resilient the department is, "said Nicholson. "How people come together to help one another and that really happened for me."
Still, Chief Nicholson says she is humbled by both the community support she has received and by her status as a role model to other LGBTQ public servants or those who aspire to be.
"I am happy that people look up to me and point that out. I'm happy about that. That's not all who I am," said Nicholson. "What I am doing, what I'm going to keep doing is putting one foot in front of the other and doing the next right thing."