ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Petersburg Fire Rescue aims to "ignite" interest in teen girls with its first-ever all-girls camp.
Camp Ignite is a three-day program open to girls ages 14 to 18. The agency aims to use this camp to engage, encourage and empower teenage girls to consider the fire service, according to a news release.
The camp will host 12 girls who will receive hands-on fire and EMS experience from female agency leaders. The campers will also meet local firefighters and graduate with a CPR certification.
"We're not just focused on exposing the girls to firefighting," St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Chief Keith Watts said in a statement. "We want them to know they can be good at it."
The camp partners with Pinellas County Urban League as part of its "EmpowHer" initiative.
Activities the girls will engage in include learning how to rescue trapped individuals from vehicles, practicing hose work, knocking down cones and learning to operate an extinguisher.
The camp runs from Monday, July 8, to Wednesday, July 10, 2024.
