The Spring Session for Girls Camp 2023 Lights Off
The Future of the LAFD Are Climbing High
A bracing wind pierces your clothing as you stare up the barrel of a 4-story climb. The pearl ladder teeters perilously against the side of a sheer concrete building. Each step up the rubber-coated rungs shakes the entire 100-foot aerial, growing worse the further you go. Your breath races, but you press on, gripping the railings as tight as you can. There is no turning back. You climb, forcing your legs to step onward.
Suddenly you look up into the smiling face of a firefighter from the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD). She takes your hand and helps you step gingerly over the balcony onto solid ground. You have just completed the first station at Girls Camp 2023…and your day has just begun.
A Weekend for Future Female Firefighters
Girls Camp is a weekend of bonding, education, and inspiration. Young women from around the city spend time alongside the firefighters of one of the largest departments in the country, practicing drills with the actual equipment the LAFD uses daily. They learn to ascend aerials, breach entryways, vent roofs, and find their way out of a pitch-black building using only the feel of the hose.
The two-day experience includes classes, physical training, and practical exercises on what it takes to be a real firefighter. From first aid and CPR to axes and chainsaws, these girls get hands-on with the tools of the trade. They meet with paramedics, apparatus operators, and even fire chiefs. Most importantly, they discover what they can accomplish with the proper motivation.
Memories and Mentorship for a Lifetime
Girls Camp provides young women with a hands-on look at the life of an LAFD firefighter. During their culminating day of training, they use a chainsaw to ventilate a roof, climb a 100-foot aerial ladder, extinguish a simulated house fire, and more. At every station, they are supported and cheered on by the men and women of the LAFD.
Some of these girls may decide to continue their journey with other youth programs in the LAFD, such as Youth F.I.R.E. Academies or Cadets. However, every one of them will leave this weekend with memories of overcoming impossible obstacles, facing down their fears, and hearing the stories of incredibly brave and talented men and women. That, more than anything else, is a value that lasts a lifetime.
As the day ended, the girls enjoyed a certificate ceremony, a delightful lunch, and a chance to exchange information so they could keep in touch. They return to school with the knowledge that no math test, no science exam, and no sport tournament can ever be as challenging as what they have already accomplished. And they are just getting started.
Support the Journeys for More Young Women in LAFD
The Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation is proud to support Girls Camp and other Youth Organizations aimed at providing education, training, and positive experiences for the next generation of firefighters. These programs are more than just familiarization with the department. They provide structure, inspiration, and access to role models for the growing minds of Los Angeles.
If you would like to support Girls Camp, or one of the many youth programs offered through the LAFD, please donate to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation. Our mission is to support the hardworking men and women of our city through equipment, services, and support programs.
