Toni Washington
Chief Toni Washington is the Fire Chief in the City of Decatur, Georgia. Chief Washington joined the Decatur Fire Department in 2009 as the first woman – and first African American woman – to serve as their Fire Chief/Emergency Manager. Toni is said to have been
only the fourth African American woman to be hired as a Fire Chief in the nation’s history. She began her public safety career working in the Georgia State Fire Marshal’s Office and then moved to the City of East Point Fire Department, which is located within the Atlanta Metro area. While with East Point, she promoted through the ranks to the Position of Deputy Chief. Then, seventeen years ago, Toni was hired as the Fire Chief/Emergency Manager in Decatur, where she continues to serve. Toni is actively engaged in national advocacy as Immediate Past President of “Women in Fire”, whose membership ranges from firefighter recruits to experienced fire officers. The organization is actively engaged in many areas of the fire service and has developed relationships and partnerships with many other national fire service organizations. In addition, she has been active in leadership roles as a member of the International Association of Black Professional Firefighters (IABPFF), as well as other fire service organizations. Chief Washington is a very engaged fire department leader and is known for initiating progressive ways to deliver service and create support programs to ensure the organization’s success.
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