ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The St. Augustine Fire Department (SAFD) is gearing up to host its annual girls empowerment camp, “Spark The Flame”, which will take place on Friday, April 18, and Saturday, April 19.
This event is designed to introduce young women to the world of firefighting and maybe inspire them to become one.
Throughout the camp, girls will have the opportunity to engage in a variety of hands-on activities, such as tool demonstrations, rappelling with the Technical Rescue Team, and search and rescue exercises.
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Girls will also have the opportunity to spray a fire hose, tackle an obstacle course, and learn about fire safety, prevention, and insights, inspiring young women to get involved in firefighting and pursue their passions.
Fire Marshal Abby Pedigo said the hope is to inspire girls to pursue their dreams.
“This camp isn’t even really designed to inspire women to be firefighters. It’s just encouraged, the goal is just to promote confidence and to show them that they can do whatever they want,” Pedigo said.
The camp is also about breaking barriers.
At St. Augustine Fire Department, there are 33 firefighters and only two women.
According to the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association (FFCA), 4 percent of career firefighters in Florida are women.
“We did have some interest after last year’s event, some of them have since looked into joining some cadet programs and looking into some of the classes they can be taking before going straight to fire school to try and pursue this route. So that is really awesome to see,” Pedigo said.
The camp welcomes middle school girls in grades 6th to 8th on Friday, April 18, and high school girls in grades 9th to 12th on Saturday, April 19.
This camp offers a unique opportunity for young women to gain insight into the firefighting profession, develop new skills, and form lasting friendships.
Applications are being accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, with registration closing on Friday, Feb. 28, or once the camp reaches capacity.
Successful applicants will be notified by Friday, March 7.
To apply, interested individuals can download and complete the application, then submit it via email to cityfire@citystaug.com or deliver it in person to St. Augustine Fire Department Station 1.
The event will be held at City Fire Station 1 at 101 Malaga Street in St. Augustine.