TOWSON, Md. — Joseph Dixon is a trailblazer for the Baltimore County Fire Department.
He's the agency's first African American Chief.
WMAR-2 News recently sat down with Dixon about his journey.
Dixon told us being sworn in last November was a significant milestone, considering at one point in history African Americans had fire hoses turned on them while protesting civil rights.
"There were people of all colors, races that showed up because they felt like what was going on during that time period, but the hoses were turned on them. But as the fire chief, I now have authority. I'm now on the other side of it," said Dixon.
Dixon added he doesn't want skin color to be the focus.
"I'm a proud Black man. That's who I am, a little light skin, but I am. But, that shouldn't be the highlight. But what you did is hire a competent fire chief and I happen to be a Black man," said Dixon.
Dixon began his career in 1992 following a conversation with a friend.
"A friend of mine one day was saying, I'm going to take a test. And I was like, a test for what? He said for the fire department. And we went, and the rest is history," said Dixon.
He started in Howard county before making stops in Goldsboro, North Carolina and Gainesville, Florida.
"Every department I've gone to, it's been my goal to leave it better than I found it and I did," said Dixon.
As a Baltimore guy, Dixon's desire was to be closer to family.
"I wanted to be here to play ball with my son, grandson, to pray with him, to do things that pop pop want to do with their kids and grand kids," said Dixon.
When the opportunity finally arose in Baltimore County, Dixon couldn't pass it up.
"Success comes when opportunity and preparation come together. The opportunity came and I was prepared," said Dixon.
Dixon is now responsible for leading an agency of more than 1,000 paid employees.
Til this day, after all these years in the profession, Dixon says he's still learning.
"What I've learned through the course of my career is you never stop learning," said Dixon.
