Jessica Ellerbe, Uniondale Fire Department's first female chief, developed love for firefighting in her teens

Jessica Ellerbe joined Uniondale's junior firefighting program when she was just 13.

There, she learned the values, commitment and skills needed to become a firefighter. And, there, she also developed a love for firefighting, the department and its culture, and where her father, Leonard Ellerbe, served as a firefighter and oversaw the training program.

“We were treating it as a real company,” Ellerbe, 34, of Uniondale, said, adding they held meetings and attended training sessions. “It really prepared me for now, because I know what’s expected of me as an officer." 

In April, Ellerbe replaced Chief Hugh Lacy, becoming the first woman to lead the volunteer Uniondale Fire Department in its nearly 100-year history. Ellerbe said she was inspired by her family's connection to firefighting and their legacy of public service. 

“I was shocked, honestly," she said when she learned she would be chief. "I was stunned." 

As chief, Ellerbe is tasked with leading the 111-person department, where seven women are firefighters. She steps into the role at a time when volunteer numbers are waning and boosting recruitment is a top priority. She said she ensures women personnel are present at recruitment events to encourage more to join.

“It’s atypical for a woman to be a firefighter,” she said. “If you see a woman doing something, you'll be more apt to do it, too.”

Ellerbe said she had her sights set on becoming chief from the minute she joined the department in 2011. During the next 12 years, she rose up the ranks of the volunteer organization while juggling her full-time job as a fire dispatcher and attending classes at the Nassau County Fire Academy.

Former Chief Terence Smith lauded Ellerbe's leadership abilities. Smith, who has known Ellerbe her entire life, was impressed by her devotion to the department and refusal to give up. She served as a captain and lieutenant under his command; Smith calls her "the glue that made everything come together." 

“It’s easy to join an organization and just be a member and do the minimum. She has not chosen that path," he said. “When she does something, she does it full throttle."

Ellerbe even kept Post-it notes on her mother’s fridge with the steps needed to become a chief, checking off each goal she completed as she climbed the ranks, said her mother, Nicole Ellerbe, 54, of Uniondale, who said firefighting has been her daughter’s love since childhood. 

In her new role, Ellerbe said she is also upgrading the technology as the department approaches its 100th anniversary next year, and is increasing discussions around mental health. 

Taming blazes is not only physically demanding, but takes a mental toll, the chief said.

With an EMT background, Ellerbe understands the emotional anguish emergency service workers can face on serious calls. She wants to ensure her firefighters know resources are available as she tries to cultivate a department where staff feels comfortable seeking help.

The department holds debriefings after every call, she said. Even a simple fire caused by food in an oven gets a debriefing, which Ellerbe said has increased openness among personnel.

“In our meetings, we're talking more and we’re having more open conversations.” she said. “We can’t do a good job or an excellent job if we can’t express ourselves appropriately.”

Chief Moonee Rivers, who oversees the Gordon Heights fire department in Suffolk, said she and Ellerbe bounce ideas off each other and offer encouragement. Rivers, who was elected in 2021, is also the first woman to lead her department and understands the challenges of overseeing emergency services personnel. 

“She [Ellerbe] is a leader that is passionate about the work she is doing and she is a go-getter,” Rivers said. “She is someone who is needed in a community that prides itself on tradition and values.”

By Brinley Hineman

brinley.hineman@newsday.com

Brinley Hineman covers the Town of Hempstead and the City of Long Beach for Newsday. She previously was a reporter in Nashville, Tennessee, and is a West Virginia native.