GREENSBORO, N.C. — Temeka Brown is Greensboro’s first Black female fire captain, and she hopes to inspire others that anything can be accomplished with hard work.

Brown’s day usually comprises going through the list of inspections she has to do and then driving to the site.

She’s been with the department for over 10 years and has worked hard to get to where she is now. 

What You Need To Know

  • Temeka Brown is the first Black female captain in Greensboro

  • She does fire inspections throughout the city

  • One out of five women of color are firefighters nationwide, according to the national report card

“I mean, it’s, it is a rewarding job and anything that you get, you work hard for and so it definitely isn’t handed to you. And so I’m appreciative of it,” she said. 

Brown grew up watching her dad, Curtis Brown, who retired as battalion chief for Greensboro in 2021. However, she didn’t think she would eventually be on the same path.

“I decided I wanted to try it being that I had seen him and knowing a little bit about the job. And I gave it a shot, so I’m glad I did,” Temeka Brown said.

She said she doesn’t want to follow in her dad’s footsteps, but instead she wants to chart her own path to success.

“He left a good legacy in terms of how he treated people and the way people looked at him in terms of managerial or supervisory position,” Temeka Brown said.  “I just learned from that and hope to one day be able to possess those same qualities to where people would say, ‘hey, I want to work for her’ or ‘I want to work with her.’”

Although Temeka Brown is the first Black female captain in Greensboro, that number isn’t uncommon. One out of five women of color are firefighters nationwide, according to the national report card. 

Temeka Brown’s father said her skin color could play a role in this job, but she says it hasn’t.

“It hasn’t hindered me or stopped me from doing anything that I’ve wanted to do or set out to do in this department. I’ve had a lot of encouragement along the way,” Temeka Brown said. “I’m just happy to be able to start this new chapter.”

In addition to doing fire inspections in Greensboro, Temeka Brown enjoys speaking to others and inspiring them to do something they enjoy every day. She says that anything is possible with hard work.