By Nathan Clark
mlive.com
JACKSON, Mich. — High school girls in Jackson County curious about what it is like to work in public safety will once again have a chance to get first-hand experience this summer.
The Jackson Fire Department is hosting the Future Female First Responder Camp for the second year in a row running from July 21-24.
The fire department is once again partnering with the Jackson Police Department and Jackson Community Ambulance to create a unique opportunity for girls aged 14-18 to get hands-on learning with female first responders working in police, fire, and ambulance services.
“Last year’s Female First Responder Camp was a tremendous success,” Jackson Assistant Fire Chief Joe Smith said. “The energy was high, the engagement was outstanding and many of the young women left the camp saying it gave them a whole new appreciation for first responders and even inspired some to seriously consider careers in public safety.”
From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, campers will explore fire safety with firefighters, learn personal defense with police and experience a day in the life of EMS with Jackson paramedics, including an ambulance tour and pig lung demonstration.
There will be interactive sessions with real-life emergency scenarios to develop decision-making and response skills, team-building exercises and question and answer panels with experts working in public safety.
Free lunch will be provided for campers each day.
Public safety professions are historically male-dominated, so giving high school girls hands-on exposure shows them they belong in these fields too, Smith said.
“Many people don’t consider careers they haven’t seen or experienced,” he said. “This camp introduces participants to the tools, skills and culture of first responder work, helping them explore potential future careers in these essential services while building confidence and a deeper understanding of what it takes to serve in these critical roles.”
Registration for the camp will close at 4 p.m. July 11. Participants may register to attend the camp by clicking here.
Slots are limited, so Smith encourages anyone interested in attending to register as soon as possible.
The camp was created in 2024 to inspire more women to consider careers in public safety. It was modeled after the Blaze & Blue, a similar Ann Arbor police and fire department program started in 2022.
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