Hominy Hires First Woman To Be Full-Time Paid Firefighter

It's a first for the city of Hominy in Osage County. Tiara Ford is the city's first ever woman to become a paid full-time career firefighter in the department's history.

Before she went full time, she made another first, she was the first woman to ever serve as volunteer firefighter for the department.

Tiara Ford's first day on the job as a full-time firefighter was Tuesday.

"Been doing a lot of driving the truck, learning the streets, answering the phone - taking the calls," said Tiara Ford, a firefighter with Hominy Fire & Rescue.

"When it's grass season I'm normally on the front of one of the trucks with the hose.”

Over the last eight months, Ford has broken down barriers. In August, she became the first woman volunteer firefighter. On Tuesday, she became the first woman to work as a paid, career firefighter in the department's history.

"She's the type of person that likes to help people," said Coby Surritte, Assistant Chief with Hominy Fire & Rescue.

"She's extremely knowledgeable. She's teachable; she's manageable, and that's the type of person we'd like to see in the fire services."

Ford's grandfather was also a firefighter. Her passion for firefighting and her desire to help others ignited in 2016 when her 1-month-old stopped breathing. Ford said she remembers calling 911 and starting CPR.

"That day proved to me knowing that I could do that on my own child and to stay pretty calm while they worked on my child, I knew that this was probably a good idea," said Ford.

Two years later, she joined as a volunteer, and now she's getting paid to do what she loves. She said she wants to inspire other women.

"I hope that more people, girls would like to join," said Ford.

She said she also wants to show them that they can be anything they want to be.

"I want them to do what they want to do. there's nothing that can stand in their way as long as they set their mind to it," said Tiara Ford, the first female career firefighter in Hominy.