Ottawa Fire Services is opening the doors to a career that hasn’t always been seen as an option for everyone. Camp FFIT gives young women and gender-diverse youth, who are between 15 and 19 years old and from different backgrounds, a week of hands-on training with Ottawa firefighters. For Alaa Belacel, Camp FITT isn’t just a summer camp; it’s a chance to get firsthand experience of what it’s like in a career where representation is changing. “I really like action, so like jumping out of the window, climbing up the ladder that was really fun, but I think most of all it was the discussions we had (with the female firefighters). Woman to woman we could ask, ‘How was it like being a firefighter as a woman?’ Because it is different,” says Belacel. Throughout the week, participants take part in firefighter training, including ladder operations, hose handling, search and rescue and fire prevention. In-class teachings are also offered in English and French. “When I was in high school, I didn’t know what I wanted to be, so to have the exposure to see that this is a potential thing that I could do, is a great opportunity,” Sarah-Lynne Collins, Ottawa firefighter and Camp FFIT Director, said. Campers work together and are instructed by career and volunteer firefighters from Ottawa Fire Services, neighbouring communities and recent graduates from a Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training program. “There are many struggles to being a woman…you always compare yourself with men, but (the firefighters) make you feel like it is possible, so you look up to them as mentors and people I want to be like when I’m older. They’re strong they’re capable, I hope to grow up just like them,” says Belacel. Now in its 17th year, Camp FFIT initially started in Ottawa to fill the need for more female fighters. “One of the challenges that we want to make sure that we rise to, is having competent people serving the public,” Mark Saunders, division chief of training with Ottawa Fire Services, said. “We felt the best way to approach that was to engage more women and more people from underprivileged communities to participate in the fire service. It does seem to be working for us…we’re showing dividends from the program now with our hires.” Camp FFIT has become a model for similar firefighter camps across Ontario. Since its inception, 372 participants have gone through the camp, 14 have gone on to become Ottawa firefighters with dozens more are fighting fires across Canada. “I’m interested in wildfires. There’s a bunch of wildfires going on in Canada,” says Belacel, “I love helping people, like, that’s my passion for sure.” Camp FFIT isn’t just about learning how to fight fires; organizer say its also about helping participants discover what skills will best help them in the future and building up their confidence to achieve any goal in life. “I think it’s so important especially for young women who think that a job is not potentially even available for them or even like they may not even be able to think that they could do it,” says Collins. “So, being at the camp and showing that it’s possible, encouraging them to face fears and do tasks that are hard is something so special.”
