BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Thirteen women joined the ranks of the FDNY Tuesday morning, bringing the total number of female firefighters to the highest number in the department’s 157-year history on International Women’s Day.

The 13 newbies were acknowledged by acting Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh, the department’s first female commissioner, who noted that they would become “role models” for all future generations.

“I want to say to you 13, today you’ve accomplished more than just completing a tough curriculum,” said Kavanagh. “You have become role models and heroes for a generation of women and anyone who thought they could not have a place at the table.”

With the 13 new graduates, the FDNY’s total number of female firefighters was brought to 134 – accounting for a little more than 1% of the department's more than 10,000 firefighters.

According to the FDNY, the first Pakistani woman to ever join the department, Aisha Loane, was also among Tuesday’s graduating class.

She told the department that she felt compelled to join at a career fair, after learning that she would be paving a path for other Pakistani women.

“There was a career fair at my college and after speaking with a chief, he encouraged me to consider a career as a firefighter. I had never seen many women firefighters and once I told him I was Pakistani, he said I probably would be the first one if I followed through with it. That really stayed with me,” she said.

The women were a part of a graduating class of 291 probationary firefighters who will now go on to join firehouses throughout the city, where they will gain field experience alongside senior firefighters and officials.