Philadelphia’s first female Battalion Chief dies 

PHILADELPHIA (WPHL) — The first female Battalion Chief of the Philadelphia Fire Department Linda Long died on Monday in her home in the Roxborough neighborhood of Philadelphia, according to an obituary posted online by Urban Funeral Home, Inc.

Long, 60, was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2023, which led to her retirement from the department in which she served for decades.

In 2017, Long became the first female Battalion Chief after two decades of working as an EMS with the Philadelphia Fire Department. She was first promoted to paramedic captain before returning to the fire academy as a 39-year-old fire recruit. She rose to the ranks to eventually oversee Battalion 9 in Germantown.

Long is survived by her children, Tess McCahery and Benjamin O’Neill, four grandchildren: Jirah, Jyrus, Isabella and Aron, as well as her husband Kirk Cumberbatch and step-daughter Sahara Cumberbatch.

“IAFF Local 22 is sad to report that we lost Battalion Chief Linda Long, our first female Battalion Chief. Chief Long first rose through the Emergency Medical Services ranks of the Fire Department as a Paramedic and up to the rank of Fire Service Paramedic Captain. She then crossed over to the Firefighting side of the department and climbed the ranks from  Firefighter to Battalion Chief. She was well respected in all aspects of our profession and looked up to by many, especially our female members. Her grit and determination were inspirational, especially her fight with job-related cancer, which ultimately took her from us last night. ” said Local 22 Philadelphia Firefighters & Paramedics President Mike Bresnan on X.