Camp Molly encourages young women to consider firefighting

Local firefighter Karley McKeigan always thought she might want to be a first responder, but when she was a teenager she did not know how to proceed.

That will all change for young women in the Niagara region with the introduction of Camp Molly.

This four-day free camp experience provides the opportunity for females between the ages of 15 and 18 to meet and engage with strong female role models in their community, while learning about many branches of the fire service.

Camp Molly is named after Molly Williams, who was the first female firefighter on record in the U.S. in 1818.

Molly “was a slave in New York,” said Tracey Fitzsimons, division chief public education officer for the Fort Erie Fire Department. “Then men fell sick with influenza and Molly hauled the pumper and answered the call of duty. She was a trailblazer.”

“All the regional fire departments are participating,” said Fitzsimons. “Candidates have to be female and must live in the Niagara region. Girls will work through seven evolutions, including fire suppression, communications, medical, public education and prevention.”

“Camp Molly is a great idea,” said McKeigan. “If I was exposed to the fire world at a younger age, it would have been put on my radar a lot sooner.”

McKeigan has been a Niagara-on-the-Lake volunteer firefighter at Station 1 in the Old Town for more than three years. Inspired by her friend, Laura Roberston, who passed away in 2018, McKeigan says she “felt I

owed it to her to follow through to join the fire department. Then I found out I really like it. It’s a good fit for me.”

“There is still too much stigma attached to what are male roles and what are female roles,” said Fitzsimons. “We want to take away that stigma about which is a male and a female career and empower and change the way young women see themselves.”

For McKeigan, “it was intimidating starting because the stereotype is that firefighting is a man’s world, and I personally had to push through a lot of mental barriers. I learned that I am capable of a lot more than I thought I was. Each time I would accomplish something new I felt so great about myself and kept pushing for these small milestones and my confidence grew.”

With the spotlight this week on International Women’s Day, both McKeigan and Danielle Bley, also an Old Town volunteer firefighter, say they have been well-supported as women in a non-conventional career. “The guys here treat us like one of them. They are amazing people who made me feel very welcome,” said McKeigan.

Bley, a graduate of kinesiology and paramedicine, is also a paramedic for the region of Niagara.

“The former chief at Station 1, Cort Day, would talk to me about the fire department and he told me they would love to have someone with my background in paramedicine. He was my accelerant to get here.”

“As women,” said Bley, “we have come into a few road bumps, particularly with various equipment sizes because a lot of it is proportionate for a man. But the town worked alongside us to get us the equipment that we needed in the appropriate sizes.”

McKeigan admits that “it is a challenging role to be in. Everything is big and heavy. It’s tougher for a woman to be a part of that world, but at the same time we fit in really well and we have a lot to offer. There is definitely a place for women here.”

The camps are for any girl who “wants to be challenged, or to find some direction,” said Fitzsimons. “It’s not about physical fitness or being the strongest or most athletic. There are many roles in the fire department.”

This is true for McKeigan, who also works in the fire department in a community risk reduction

role. “I love suppression and thought that was a career goal for me, but then I got to see the other side of the fire department and I really like prevention and public relations.”

Bley agrees. “In this department, they promote that there is no one way to do anything. The way my coworker completes a task isn’t going to be the same way I complete a task.” Individual strengths are recognized, she said. “Medical calls are my bread and butter. Someone else will be an expert on pump operations.”

“Even if you go to Camp Molly and realize that the fire service is not for you, but you were still able to push yourself and get through that camp and get through the scary evolutions that you didn’t think you could - that’s a huge accomplishment in itself,” said McKeigan.

Applications are due April 11 and the camp runs from May 11 to May 14 in Niagara Falls. Application forms can be found at www.campmolly.ca.

They are also looking for strong female community members interested in supporting the camp in a volunteer role.

Camp Molly’s motto is “Be prepared to be challenged. Be prepared to be empowered. Be prepared to change the way you see yourself.”