Getting young women 'fired up' about future firefighting careers

Kitchener firefighters fearlessly strode out of a building filled with smoke on Thursday as part of a training camp for young women.

Two dozen teens, mostly from Waterloo Region, signed up for the Female Firefighter in Training program. It’s a four day camp where they can learn the ropes from 40 certified firefighters.

Emma Braun, 16, from Elmira, said she always wanted to be firefighter since she was a little girl. Now that she got some hands on experience, she’s even more intrigued.

“You’re not just sitting around in a chair at a desk, you're up, you're moving around, you're helping people,” Braun said.

From search and rescue exercises to auto extrication – the teens are put to the test in full gear.

“It's a little nerve racking, but like, as soon as you start to go, you get the feeling of it. You know what it's like,” Braun said.

Participants in the Female Firefighter in Training program learn about vehicle extrication on June 27, 2024. (Heather Senoran/CTV News)

According to the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, in 2020 only 5.5 per cent of Canadian firefighters were women.

“So that number used to be a lot smaller. And even on that scale, it shows that programs like this are helping that number evolve,” said first class firefighter with the Kitchener Fire Department, Bev Bradley.

Becoming a firefighter is not for the faint of heart. It takes a lot of grit, determination and the right skillset.

“People are running out of a fire. We're running into the fire. So what makes the best firefighter is somebody who has had a little bit of courage and bravery,” Bradley said.

Strength as a firefighter is a must– both physically and mentally. Camp participants also learned how important it is to communicate and count on each other.

“You always have each other to work together and mitigate the situation and pick each other up,” said Melissa Lyons, a first class firefighter with the Kitchener Fire Department.

Bree Annion was a camp participant in 2022. Now she’s back to help the younger girls.

“Going into it was a little bit intimidating. Just wanting to do a career that you don't hear about a lot of females doing,” Annion admitted.

After the camp, she graduated from Pre-Service Firefighting at Conestoga College and now her next steps are clear.

“So just getting all of the certifications that are required and then hopefully applying to departments,” she said.

Annion said she’ll be applying everywhere but has a special place in her heart for the Kitchener crew and hope she makes it there someday.