Prestonsburg holds pinning ceremony for first female fire chief

PRESTONBURG, KY (WOWK) — The City of Prestonsburg welcomed a new fire chief Monday, the first female chief in the city’s history.

Celina Thomas was appointed to the position earlier in the month, but her pinning ceremony was held at the Mountain Arts Center on Monday. She has not only been with the department for decades, but she is also the first female chief in the history of the city.

“My goal is to make the department and the community better, for the department to be a part of the community,” Thomas said.

Thomas has taken on the position following the retirement of the former chief, who said he felt like a proud dad.

Thomas said that over the years, she has moved up the ranks with the department, developing leadership skills along the way, and now in this new position, her main goal is to make sure the residents they serve and the firefighters who respond to emergencies are safe. She also said she wants to expand training opportunities to members of the department.

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