Tracy Lewis Becomes 2nd Black Female To Be Promoted To Lieutenant In FDNY History
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The FDNY has promoted a black woman to the rank of lieutenant for the first time in 12 years.
Tracy Lewis was promoted during a ceremony Wednesday.
"I worked very hard for this," Lewis said. "I studied very hard for this."
Tracy Lewis Becomes 2nd Black Female To Be Promoted To Lieutenant In FDNY History
She's the second black female firefighter to be promoted to lieutenant in the department's history, joining Ella McNair, who was promoted in 2002.
"Having the support from women before me and firefighters before me and all of the stuff they endured to this point, I feel like I owe it to them and the people after me to do the best that I can to try to help pave the way for them as it was for me," Lewis said.
"I told her she's not crawling anymore; she's walking now," McNair told CBS 2's Dana Tyler.
Lewis' family was equally thrilled by the honor.
"I'm very proud of her. Tracy's always been about helping others and I'm not surprised she's made it to this point," said her father, Clive Lewis.
Tracy Lewis has been a firefighter for 17 years, starting off as a cadet. She was an emergency medical technician and later was a member of Engine 222 in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.
There are only nine black women firefighters in the FDNY, and Lewis is now the department's only female African-American officer. There are about 40 women total at the department of nearly 10,400 people.
"I feel like I've reached that milestone and I've reached that hill and I'm at the top of it now," Lewis told 1010 WINS. "I just have to continue going up.
Fire Commissioner Dan Nigro believes Lewis' promotion sends a message about the department's commitment to diversity, WCBS 880's Peter Haskell reported.
"She is going to be a great role model to women, to people of color," Nigro said.
"One of my officers told me everything is teamwork and we're all here for each other and we're all here to support each other," Lewis said.
In March, the FDNY reached a $98 million settlement with a black firefighters group that alleged discrimination in hiring. As part of the settlement, the department agreed to create an executive position for diversity.
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