News & Events

Orange County Fire Authority "Girls Empowerment Camp"

Description:

What started out as an alternate date to our previous regional meeting turned into a unique training opportunity. I had inquired into using the OCFA training facility as a meeting site due to our regular site being booked. After a couple weeks of trading emails on where and when to hold the meeting, my POC asked us if we could attend the Girls Empowerment Camp held at the massive OCFA training facility. The free 2-day camp featured six hands-on stations for the campers to gain familiarity and experience with fire service functions. The activity stations included: Ropes and Knots, CPR/First Aid, Aerial Ladder Climb, Confidence Course, Roof Prop and Hose Handling. So our meeting turned into a opportunity to expose our teams to some sites, sounds and smells we might encounter during a wild fire deployment. Our teams did a great job of handling firetruck air horns, chainsaw noise, loud music, firefighter turnouts, boots and gear laid out, ladders being drug around and of course constant interaction with the campers as they navigated through the multitude of stations in firefighter gear. We had an opportunity to meet a greet local Council Members and a State Assembly Member. We also had a great meeting with the Fire Chief. Our POC was unsure of our acceptance, and roll, to the days events. After giving the Chief a brief overview of HOPE and some of the deployments we have been on involving firefighters, he basically gave us free reign of the facility and thanked us for being there. The day was getting a little warm and some of the dogs were "hitting the wall". We decided it was good time to go visit the dispatch center. After visiting the dispatch center, it was decided we would call it a day. Teams left at around 12 noon.

Jan Heppert and Sequoia, Bari Boersma and Star, Nancy Coronado and Newberry, Constance Howell and Kelda, Grace Chen and Bagel, Chantal and Sarah Jane Chelin and Maverick and Kristi Bret Harte