Camp Ignite is Back to Help Teen Girls Stop Limiting Their Beliefs

For the second year-in-a-row, Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services (MFES) will introduce 20 teenaged girls to a potential career in fire service through their innovative weeklong experience, Camp Ignite from July 24 to 28.

Camp Ignite will show teen girls, ages 15 to 19, what a career in fire service could look like through participation in a number of real-world scenarios.

“We are proud of what we started last year through Camp Ignite,” said Tim Beckett, Fire Chief, MFES. “We want all teenagers deciding on career options to understand that the fire service is an option for anyone willing to put in the work. This is a career worth fighting for.”

New this year, camp lead and the City’s first female firefighter, Shelli Varela is offering camp participants access to an online training webinar targeted at helping teen girls recognize what they want and the fear that could be holding them back.

“The reason women aren’t applying to the fire department in big numbers is because of limiting beliefs,” said Varela. “We don’t often challenge that negative voice in our heads that tells us we can’t do something. Camp Ignite combined with this new training will do just that.”

Camp participants will have access to the webinar before they begin Camp Ignite in July. The training will then be widely available to all online after the camp concludes.

During Camp Ignite, the teens will learn a diverse set of skills including:

• basic firefighting;
• fighting simulated kitchen and car fires;
• auto extrication;
• aerial ladder climbing;
• search and rescue;
• forcible entry;
• team building;
• use of Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA);
• basics of pump/ladder operations;
• fitness and nutrition;
• basics of technical rescue;
• securing hydrants; and
• highrise operations.

Camp Ignite – Details

Who:

Teenaged girls ages 15 to 19 working with members of MFES

Where:

Garry W. Morden Centre
7535 Ninth Line
Mississauga, ON
L5N 7C3
[Map]

When:

July 24 to 28, 2017

Time:

Daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Cost:

The cost of Camp Ignite is $150. Participants will require steel toe boots and leather work gloves to take part in fire ground activities.

How to Apply:

The application form can be found [here]. Applications will be accepted until Sunday, May 28, 2017.