From The Grio: Beginning in March, a black woman will be at the helm of a major fire department for the first time in U.S. history. Theresa Deloach-Reed, 52, was named chief of the Oakland (Calif.) Fire Department.

Reed is leaving her position as assistant fire chief of San Jose, California. She said that her career as a firefighter began when her brother asked her to pass an application along to another brother. In 1986, Reed was working a job for a telephone company that involved her climbing poles to install new lines. Afraid of layoffs and with climbing experience, she decided to fill out the application herself.

The city of Oakland has changes tremendously. Deloach-Reed will join diverse group of city leaders. The chief of police Howard Jordan is black and Mayor Jean Quan, who appointed Reed, was the first woman and the first Asian-American mayor of Oakland.

With less that 4% of firefighters female and nearly 6% black, Reed says that the key to changing those figures is recruitment.