CINCINNATI — An Ohio firefighter is making history. She’s the first woman of color to be named a bomb technician at the Cincinnati Fire Department.

What You Need To Know

  • Nykeba Banks is the newest bomb technician at the Cincinnati Fire Department and the first woman of color to be in that position there

  • She says it took her three tries at the civil service test, eight years as a firefighter, and 13 years in the military before she made it on the bomb squad

  • Fire officials say the bomb squad typically responds to about 100 calls a year

Nykeba Banks is packing on about 70 pounds of gear just in case a bomb goes off. It’s part of what she’s been training to do at the Cincinnati Fire Department.

“I was like yes!!!! Actually, I was more excited. I was jumping up and down,” said Banks. 

She just made it on the bomb squad, the first woman of color bomb tech at the department to ever do it.

“I just want other women to know that we can all do this. It’s all about mindset, having a positive mindset,” said Banks. 

She said it took her three tries at the civil service test to get in, eight years of experience as a firefighter, and 13 years in the military.

“I was what they call a chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological and explosive specialist, so it’s similar, but nothing like this,” said Banks. 

As a new bomb tech, she does simulations, practices in the bomb suit, and controls the robot bomb detector. She said one wrong move could end everything.

“I haven’t had, like, a real bomb yet. You know, we’ve had some suspicious packages, you know, things like that, but I’m confident in the training and the training we continue to do on a regular basis that if that situation were to arise, that I would be okay,” said Banks. 

Fire officials said the bomb squad typically responds to those threats and calls for old military grenades in the Cincinnati area about 100 times a year.

When there’s not a threat, they’re fighting fires, going on medical calls, and for Banks, she’s making history.

“There is no career in this world that’s only limited to just men. Everyone can do anything, you know, as long as they put their mind to it,” said Banks.