JACKSON, Mich — Summer camp season is here, but one camp in Jackson could change lives. Local first responders are working to inspire the female heroes of tomorrow through the Future Female First Responder Camp.
- The camp gives young women hands-on experience with firefighting, police work, and emergency medical services.
- The camp has 15 participants, and each day is spent learning about a different career as a first responder.
- The camp is meant to inspire young women in the neighborhood about what a future as a first responder could look like.
WATCH: Young women train to become Jackson's future first responders
At the City of Jackson Fire Department, young women are testing their endurance, skills, and teamwork – all qualities essential for firefighting.
"People think, 'Ooh, big bad fire!' When they think firefighter. No, there's really a lot of things that go into firefighting. It's cool to see that from a female perspective," said Olivia Grove, a camp participant who aspires to become a firefighter.
Grove and several other young girls from Jackson are putting their skills to the test during the Future Female First Responder Camp. "It gives them experience building teamwork, building that confidence. Show a little bit of the job, aspects of it, before they jump in and make it a career," said Joe Smith, Assistant Fire Chief.
These campers will spend days training with the Jackson Fire Department, Jackson Police Department, and Jackson Community Ambulance. Smith tells me the national average of female firefighters is under 5%, and is about 17% for law enforcement. Currently, neither the City of Jackson Fire Department nor the Summit Township Fire Department has any female firefighters. "There's a work shortage in first responder world. What better opportunity for females to come and see if this opportunity is for them?" Smith said.
With this camp, local first responders hope to inspire these brave young women to join their ranks in the future. The participants are already finding inspiration from women in their lives. "My aunt has inspired me," said another camp participant, Jaila Stephens. "She's a police officer and a firefighter, so it's really pushed me to explore the option."
"I have some friends who just finished academy, and I realized how inspiring it was and how cool it is that they're able to save people and help other people," Grove added. As they pick up valuable skills during the camp, these young women could become Jackson's future local heroes.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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