First responder summer camp for young women

Camp Courage is not not your typical seven day summer camp.

Twenty-three girls from 15 to 18 years of age are learning from paramedics how to stitch an open wound. Earlier in the week they were introduced to weapons and handcuffs from Calgary Police. They'll finish off camp experiencing how firefighters train. It's the first time the camp has been hosted by Calgary first responders.

Camp Courage was founded by Nova Scotia firefighter Andréa Speranza in January 2006 and it's designed to entice more women into the profession. Carly Tatomir is an advance care paramedic and a 22 year veteran with Calgary Emergency Services and one of the organizers of the inaugural Calgary event.

"I went into EMS right out of high school," she said. "So had this existed when I was these girls' age, I would have been all over this camp, which is really why I was keen to get involved when the opportunity came up."

The young women learn from others in the profession about the experiences they've faced throughout their careers. It offers basic first responder skills and knowledge and serves as a connection with current police officers, firefighters and paramedics.

"So the skills they're doing are above what they would get in a normal first aid or CPR class," said Tatomir. "They're interested in careers as first responders so we're exposing them to some of the things above standard first aid to hopefully entice them into one of these professions."

Noelle Naphin is 15-years-old and likes the idea of a career helping people as a paramedic.

"Even though you're saving people and police and fire you're like more directly (assisting them)" she said. "You're stitching (a wound) closed so it's stopping bleeding, so I think it's really interesting."

Rather than pay a fee for camp, organizers asked 70 applicants to detail how they could positively contribute to their community or make a positive impact on an individual in their community upon completion of the camp.

Jaedyn Bosjoli is one of the 23 girls chosen for camp and just graduated high school. Both her parents are firefighters and now she's interested in looking more at becoming a police officer or paramedic because of her time at Camp Courage.

"I think it's just an incredible opportunity for us to see what actually happens in these professions," said Bosjoli. "It's more than what we see like on the news and that kind of thing or in media."

Sixteen-year-old Aiman Rao likes getting a glimpse behind the scenes of first responder roles and is enjoying learning more about what's involved to become a police officer.

"We did forensics, we did baton work, tasers, guns, handcuffing," said Rao. "We also learned to punch and kick, we also learned police talk."

The last two days of camp will be hosted by members of the Calgary Fire Department. Campers will hear from a guest speaker who is a graduate of Nova Scotia's

Camp Courage and now works in Sherwood Park, Alberta as a firefighter/paramedic.