A firefighters’ mentoring program for females included a day in Abbotsford on Sunday (August. 11).
Camp Ignite is a four-day, three-night program for Grade 11 and 12 girls that involves several different hands-on skills and stations to give participants insight into a day in the life of a firefighter.
The camp is solely instructed by female career firefighters, with a goal of empowering young women.
This year’s camp took place at training facilities in Vancouver, New Westminster and Abbotsford.
Activities included climbing the 100-foot aerial ladder, learning about fire prevention, doing the firefighting physical to get hired, and learning about hose-handling, auto extrication and vehicle and dumpster fires.
The camp also included a high-angle rope rescue off a tower crane and repelling down a building, and dragging out dummies through a blacked-out maze.
Camp Ignite was created in 2010 by Jenn Dawkins, a Vancouver fire captain.
Among the camp instructors this year was Sophie Michael, who was a participant when she was in Grade 12 in Abbotsford.
She came back every year for four or five years as an aspiring firefighter, chaperone, mentor, instructor and now as a board member. Michael is now in her second year of being a career firefighter in Surrey.
Plans are now underway for the 2025 camp. Visit campignite.com for more information.
