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Girls learn about firefighting firsthand at Hampton summer camp

Posted at 6:51 PM, Jul 21, 2014
and last updated 2014-07-21 18:51:13-04

Hampton, Va. - Area fire departments are teaming up with the Girl Scouts to give girls a unique experience.

They're holding a week-long camp in Hampton called Camp Fury.

From learning how to use equipment to trying on the gear, girls from around Hampton Roads are getting the chance learn about firefighting firsthand.

The goal is to expose them to a career they may not have thought of before.  Only about ten percent of the firefighters in Hampton are women.

Denee Nichols, a Hampton firefighter, says she can't imagine doing anything else, though, which is why she wants the girls to experience it for themselves.

The camp is modeled after one in Arizona.  Nichols and another firefighter went there two years ago to learn about the program and bring it back to Hampton Roads.

Along with female firefighters, the girls will also be hearing from women in other career fields later in the week, like the FBI and Coast Guard.

"We’re going to expose them to a lot of different women and a lot of different fields that are typically male dominated, just so they know they`re out there and there are people who love their jobs and are passionate about it and what their jobs are all about," said Nichols.

Though organizers know that not all of the girls will end up going into firefighting, they hope the camp will light a spark in some of them.