When Constance Zappella raised her right hand, she made history not only in the Jersey City Fire Department, but the entire state.
"I am no longer the young girl who sought to change a century of outdated tradition. I am now humbled and honored to serve as the highest-ranking professional female fire officer in the state and city where I was born and raised," Zappella said in a statement. "The difference between my success and failure is the network of people I built who supported me throughout my journey."
Zappella was the first woman to join the department back in 2003, according to CBS New York.
Mayor Steven Fulop said it was an honor to promote the firefighters.
"In JC, we have 700+ firefighters. it’s a demanding job physically/mentally + she has been a top performer," he tweeted.
