Girls Fire Camp Aims to Spark Interest in Public Safety

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — The Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services is holding its first ever fire camp for girls in an effort to increase participation by women in the department.

The camp will run Aug. 13 and 14 at the county's public safety training center in Marriottsville. It is open to girls ages 10 to 14.

Young women in the 1st Alarm Girls Fire Camp will learn CPR and how to use a fire extinguisher; go on a field trip to a fire station; see a live burn demonstration; and participate in team building activities.

This is the first time the county is offering the girls camp specifically, and organizers say that it is a way for young women to see whether may want to join the fire service.

The ratio of men to women nationally and locally in the fire service is sizable.

Nationally, approximately 7.3 percent of firefighters are women, according to the latest U.S. Fire Department profile compiled by the National Fire Protection Association.

In Howard County, officials say that females represent 10 percent of the uniformed operational force. Of those, 10 percent serve as lieutenants, 5 percent are captains, 12 percent work as battalion chiefs and 17 percent serve as assistant chiefs.

Leaders within the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services hope that exposure to the fire service through the 1st Alarm Girls Fire Camp may increase those numbers.

“Hopefully, we will see some of these hardworking kids again here in Howard County when they’re ready to start their careers or volunteer service as firefighters and paramedics," Fire Chief John Butler said.

The 1st Alarm Girls Fire Camp will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13, and Sunday, Aug. 14, at the James R. Robey Public Safety Training Center, 2200 Scott Wheeler Drive, Marriottsville.

Find the application on the Howard County Girls Fire Camp page. For more information, contact Battalion Chief Christine Uhlhorn at FD1804@howardcountymd.gov or 443-865-4814.

Photo Credit: Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services.