The Charlottesville Fire Department invites the media to our 2nd Annual Girls Fire & Rescue graduation. We invite members of the media to attend this and join us in celebrating and recognizing the achievements of these exceptional young women. The graduation will take place on Wednesday, July 19th at 2 PM. The camp runs from Monday, July 17th through July 19th from 10 AM to 3 PM.
The camp idea came about after a recruitment meeting in 2021 discussing how to bolster diversity in the CFD. Shortly after the Camp was developed and implemented in 2022. The goal is to encourage women to seek career opportunities in the fire service.
In 2020 the CFD only had 3 women Firefighter/EMTs in the department. Since then, the CFD has hired 10 women bringing the total to 13. According to the National Fire Protection Agency, only 9% of firefighters are women out of the estimated 1,041,200 firefighters nationwide. During the 3-day camp, young women will learn CPR, train in fire/EMS simulations, and participate in team building exercises. The camp will provide mentorship, instill confidence, and strengthen leadership skills in young women.
Media Contact:
Lance Blakey Battalion Chief
Charlottesville Fire Department
(434) 906-7787 blakey@charlottesville.gov
