SUNNYVALE, Texas — Changing a career can be hard, let alone joining a heavily male-dominated field.
"I never thought I'd go there. I fully expected to be a teacher," said Tami Kayea, the new Sunnyvale Fire Rescue Fire Chief.
From high school teacher to the training grounds at the fire academy, Kayea knew 27 years ago that there would be challenges ahead.
"You have to be twice as good just to be considered average, and you can either get upset about it, or you can spend your energy being twice as good," she said.
It's advice she read when looking into becoming a firefighter.
Kayea took that advice and put in the work, earning countless accolades, awards, and eventually, her title as a deputy chief at Dallas Fire Rescue.
Every minute of her career and every letter on her resume earned Kayea her most recent promotion as Fire Chief of Sunnyvale Fire Rescue.
Her last day at DFR was Jan. 2. And her first day in the Town of Sunnyvale was Jan. 16. On Monday night, she will be sworn in.
Kayea is the first female fire chief in North Texas. She is one of five female fire chiefs in all of Texas.
"I didn't realize that when I was appointed," Kayea said.
Naturally an introvert, Kayea said she wished they hadn't made a big deal about it when the news came out.
"And [a Dallas firefighter] said, 'just remember,'" Kayea said. "There may be some little girls out there who never knew that was an option for them. And now because they see you, they know it is."
It reminded her of her inspiration as a little girl. Her father was a Carrollton firefighter, making Kayea a fourth-generation firefighter.
On the urban streets of Dallas, Kayea experienced a lifetime's worth of calls. In the toughest moments, like the COVID-19 pandemic to the 7/7 police shooting in Downtown Dallas, Kayea learned to adapt and lead her team.
She served on the department's Critical Incident Stress Management Team and Peer Support Team, as well as the Governor's EMS and Trauma Advisory Council.
Nearly three decades into her fire career, she is moving from a 2,000-member department to a 20-member department. Kayea said she is looking forward to getting to know her new fire family, and engaging with the residents in her new town.
"Sunnyvale is an exciting place because it's growing so rapidly. And of course, with growth comes new demands," Kayea said. "I'm hoping that coming from Dallas, I got to do so many different things and experiences that I can really help this department as it moves forward and it grows."
No doubt, Sunnyvale will be a change of pace, but it's a change she's excited for.