All right, let's get started, guys.

All right, Commissioners.

Jimmy.

Thank you for the chairman.

Good.

Um, all right, what do you want to do first?

You want to do yours first?

Okay, whatever.

All right.

So let's uh let's get started with Commissioner Steinberg's presentation, a special presentation in recognition of women's history month to honor and celebrate Dignat Aveyo for her historic appointment as the first female fire chief in Miami Beach, which is District Four.

Take it away, Steinberg.

And District Five, we share, we share Miami Beach.

On my notes, it says District Four, so my staff needs to stub it up.

No worries.

Well, it's not just Miami Beach, she's the first woman for leading a uh fire department of any municipality here.

So it's a big deal, and and we want to recognize it's a great way to kick off women's history month by acknowledging these amazing trailblazers who are unbelievable in the work field and off.

And so I'm gonna Vicky, do you want to say a few words and then I will read the prop?

Thank you, Commissioner Steinberg.

Um Digna, you're you're like a uh hero, a legend, the original OG.

Uh you really are for all of us, but more so for all the young girls.

I always think about young girls and how they look at those of us that you know make it to some places, right?

And you are breaking all kinds of um molds.

And I'm so grateful because love seeing women in positions that have been traditionally uh held by men.

And so I can't think of a better way of starting out this month where we celebrate women across the board in all kinds of fields and occupations, and uh honor you uh as our fire chief.

So I'm excited.

Um thank you so much, uh, Commissioner Steinberg for doing this with me.

Oh, thank you, Chairman and Commissioners.

I'm here uh the mayor could not be here this morning, but I'm on this one, it's it's also personal.

I had as many of you know, for uh about eight years, I was the city manager of Miami Beach, and I had the honor and pleasure to watch uh uh Dingabella rise through the ranks, and I was uh proud to actually sign off on her being the first woman deputy chief of Miami Beach, and so I couldn't miss this opportunity to be here.

Uh, you're doing a great job.

You've got a lot of your great leadership team there, and uh it's just it's a proud moment that as a native of Maya Beach to see how you have you know broken those barriers and and and in a profession that you know is historically male-dominated, you have not just uh done well, but you've risen to the top of an outstanding organization.

Chief Jadala, I'm not cheating on you, I promise.

Uh but uh just congratulations for what you have accomplished, and uh and it would I can't imagine a more fitting way to kick off uh women's history.

Excellent.

So now I'm gonna have to read a little bit of this because you know, we just have to give you the full breadth of what we're doing here today.

Whereas American women of every race, class, and ethnic background have made historic contributions to the growth and strength of our nation in countless recorded and unrecorded ways.

And Miami Day County recognizes the importance of women's history month as a time to honor the extraordinary contributions, leadership, and achievements of women who have broken barriers and paved the way for future generations.

From pioneers to the women who today play a significant role in the civic, cultural, business, and professional activities in our community, the contributions of women have had a major impact on the history and development of Miami Day County.

Chief Digna Abello has made history as the first woman to lead the Miami Beach Fire Department since its establishment in January 26th, 1921, and the first woman to serve as a municipal fire chief in Miami Day County, making marking a historic milestone in public safety leadership.

Throughout her distinguished career, spanning nearly two decades, which I think I've known you for the entire time, um, Chief Abello has demonstrated unwavering dedication, courage, and integrity, rising through the ranks and leading critical initiatives, including directing the department's COVID-19 response, maintaining its elite ISO class one accreditation, and implementing innovative life-saving technologies and programs to enhance emergency response and community safety.

Chief Abello's leadership reflects her deep commitment to service, innovation, and excellence, while inspiring women and future generations to pursue careers in public safety and strengthening the protection, resilience, and well-being of the Miami Beach community and Miami Day County as a whole.

So now, therefore, on behalf of our mayor, our chairman, our entire board of county commissioners, and all of an entire community do hereby proclaim March 3rd, 2026 as Chief Digna Abello Day in Miami Day County.

And I'd like everybody to come up from the department so that we can take a nice photo, and I'd like you to say a few words.

But you know, this is personal.

This is something that is just when we talk about breaking glass ceilings, this is what we're talking about.

And so thank you.

Thank you for being you.

Sure.

So thank you.

Good morning, uh, commissioner, Vicky, uh, board and our staff that we have here.

So, yes, this is very honoring, very humbling.

Thank you, Chief Dadala for Alicia coming here and supporting.

But you know, it is because we have men that choose to work for me that deserve also this recognition because if I didn't have their support, I wouldn't be able to, you know, break these glass ceilings.

But more importantly, it's the start of a new generation that they're able to see.

Wow, look, I can do that, whether it's a commissioner, a lawyer, a judge, a firefighter.

But for my department itself, I oversee the lifeguards and the dispatchers, the Unsung heroes, that they're the first to get that 911 call.

So anything that I can do to inspire and motivate, but continue paving the way for everyone here.

I hope I'm not the last.

And you know, I'm glad I'll be the first for that.

Congratulations.