'It's important to break down those barriers": Young women get hands-on firefighter training with Camp Molly
Through a free four-day camp, 30 young women will get the chance to learn about a career in fire services in the Township of Zorra this week.
Zorra’s Fire Chief Deanna Kirwin started as a volunteer firefighter and training officer. She eventually started taking on more teaching in fire services before being hired as chief.
“My passion to support and empower young women became even stronger working in a male-dominated field,” she said, explaining that there remains a low percentage of women in fire services.
“If we can provide mentoring opportunities and show women being supported by men and women, I think it's important and helps break down those barriers.”
From Thursday to Saturday, about 30 young women from ages 15-18 will learn about several aspects of firefighting and different career opportunities.
Participants will gain experience while rotating through a series of activities including forcible entry, fire prevention and investigations, search and rescue, auto extrication and more.
Nearly 100 volunteer firefighters will be assisting participants in this program, Kirwin said.
Inspired by her uncle who was a fire chief, 17-year-old Bryana Lauzon travelled from Windsor to pursue her passion in firefighting.
“I thought this would be a really good experience to learn more and have fun,” she said.
“This is the first time I heard about the fire training program for young people so I thought it would be a good opportunity to try something new,” said Martina Baker, whose uncle works as a volunteer firefighter in the fire hall she’s training in for the next few days.
“I hadn’t considered a career as a firefighter or paramedic before but it's definitely something I’m interested in,” she added.
The camp is named after Molly Williams who became the first female firefighter on record in North America.
“It’s my wish for all of these young women to become firefighters? That would be neat but truly I hope they leave here knowing that they can accomplish anything they set their mind to,” said Kirwin.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Competition bureau finds 'substantial' anti-competitive effects with proposed Bunge-Viterra merger
The proposed merger of agricultural giants Viterra and Bunge is raising competition concerns from the federal government.
Douglas DC-4 plane with 2 people on board crashes into river outside Fairbanks, Alaska
A Douglas C-54 Skymaster airplane crashed into the Tanana River near Fairbanks on Tuesday, Alaska State Troopers said.