Belleville’s outgoing Fire Chief’s vision of bringing more women into the fire service continues to grow.
Camp Molly will have eight locations this summer, including the original camp in Halton and one here in the Quinte Region.
The firefighting camp is for young women ages 15-18.
Outgoing Belleville Fire Chief Monique Belair says Camp Molly is now a full-fledged not-for-profit organization with a board of directors and Belair serving as president.
“We actually had requests from some other departments as well that we put on the list for next year because we just didn’t wanna expand so fast and then not see a success for the camp. So we assume that we will potentially have approximately 300 young females run through the camp this year.”
Monique Belair says they are also beginning a consultation with the National Indigenous Board of Canada for a Camp Molly partnership.
“And they would like to bring it across Canada into the Indigenous community. And so our Board of Directors is meeting with the Indigenous Fire Safety Council to see how we can assist them. They would like to, it is my understanding, at least try one camp this year.”
In addition, a modified camp is being run in Iqaluit this year where Belair says one of Camp Molly’s first campers is currently employed.
The Quinte West camp will run in July.
Belair says the camp covers all aspects of the fire service from fire suppression to investigation to public education but it’s also about building young women up.
“They are really struggling with their self esteem and how to build lasting relationships and relate to other young females. And this is what the motto of Camp Molly is all about. You know we say ‘Be Prepared to Be Challenged, Be Prepared to Be Empowered and Be Prepared to Change the Way you See Yourself.’ And the number three motto is the most important to me.”
Belair is leaving Belleville to take over as Kingston’s Fire Chief in April.
