New fire chief to be sworn in for Town of Sunnyvale
SUNNYVALE – The first female fire chief for a full-time department in North Texas is set to be sworn in Monday night.
Tami Kayea, a fourth-generation firefighter, will also be one of five female fire chiefs in the state of Texas.
She replaces former fire chief Doug Kendrick, who announced his retirement in August 2023.
"Chief Kayea is not only impeccably qualified to run a department, her family history and penchant for the community spirit in smaller towns made her the perfect choice for Sunnyvale," said Sunnyvale Town Manager Jeff Jones.
Kayea has over 27 years of experience with Dallas Fire Rescue, serving as EMS section chief and battalion chief before she was promoted to deputy chief in 2018. She also served on DFR's Critical Incident Stress Management Team and Peer Support Team in addition to the Governor's EMS and Trauma Advisory Council.
