THOMASVILLE, GA (WTXL) -- A South Georgia firefighter is making a name for herself.
Jasmine Rice is the first African-American female to earn the rank of engineer at Thomasville Fire Rescue (TFR).
Rice became the first black woman to join TFR in 2013. She said the love for her job started at an early age.
"I got interested through my dad," Rice said. "He was the fire chief in Valdosta, Georgia, and he used to bring me to work with him some days. I just loved the family atmosphere that was up there."
After finishing fire school training, she headed to Thomasville and made a strong impression.
"She takes a lot of initiative," said assistant fire chief Mark Sealy. "She wants to learn. She wants to go out and meet the public. She wants to go out and perform for the city of Thomasville."
That drive helped Rice get promoted on July 14 from firefighter-EMT to driver-engineer.
"To meet the goals that she's set for herself and to come up through the ranks -- yes, it has been a fast progression," Sealy said.
"I adjusted well, I think," Rice said. "The guys are really nice to me. It's family-oriented up here. I just love it."
Rice says being the only woman on the team hasn't really been a challenge. In fact, it's come in handy.
"Most women that we go to on calls -- they don't feel comfortable talking with guys, and they feel more comfortable with me," she said.
In her new position, Rice takes the wheel and heads out to calls around town.
"When I get out and they see that I've been driving, it just brings a lot of smiles to people," she said. "That's just something they want to see more of -- more African-Americans doing things."
A mother of two, Rice will be formally recognized at Thomasville's city council meeting on August 22.
