skills, and encouraged her to consider becoming a fire chief at some point in her career. The opportunity presented itself, and in 2002, Assistant Chief Rosemary Cloud became the fire chief in the City of East Point, Georgia. Rosemary was East Point’s first woman fire chief and is widely heralded as the first Black woman fire chief in the nation. Her contributions to fire and life safety were not limited to the cities where she served. Rosemary was an active member of the community and a leader at the state and national levels as well. In addition to many other achievements, awards, and commendations, Chief Cloud was appointed to the White House National Security Council and was a subject matter expert in developing the National Strategy for Homeland Security. In 2010, she was inducted into the International Women in Homeland Security and Emergency Management Hall of Fame. Rosemary was recognized by the Atlanta Business League with the Millennium Pacesetter Award – and the Atlanta Business League also celebrated her as one of Atlanta’s Top 100 Black Women of Influence. These recognitions paint a picture of a leader who was not only recognized for her expertise in the fire and emergency service, but also for her commitment to involving her department in the community as a whole…and in doing so, she personally set the example she expected her members to follow. In 2019, the City of East Point opened a new multipurpose fire station and training facility. It was named and dedicated in honor of former Fire Chief Rosemary Cloud, who had retired in 2015. One of the things that has impressed me the most about Rosemary Cloud has been the number of fire service women who openly credit her for the mentorship, coaching, and support she provided to them as they pursued their own careers. She not only fought and worked her way to a successful fire service career of her own, but she helped countless others who either worked with her or knew her in some other way. Achieving excellence and inspiring others to be the best they can be are critical elements of leadership. I am honored to profile retired Fire Chief Rosemary Cloud during this Woman’s History Month as a fire service woman of great accomplishment and influence!
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