Kerr named to lead international group

Austin Fire Chief Rhoda Mae Kerr has been elected to the First Vice President position of the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ board of directors, a first for a woman in its 140-year history. Kerr will be installed at the association’s annual Fire-Rescue International Conference in Dallas later this summer. “Chief Kerr has been breaking glass ceilings and paving the way for generations of women in the fire service since she began her career more than 30 years ago,” City Manager Marc Ott said. “After five years, I still often remark that she was one of the best hires I ever made.” The association represents the leadership of firefighters and emergency responders worldwide. The Austin Fire Department, founded in 1857, is now one of the 20 largest departments in the country, with 45 fire stations throughout the city and more than 1,100 employees.