Camp Gives VA Teens Glimpse into Fire-Rescue Service

Courtney Watts, 10, was attached by a length of rope to a harness around her waist. Above her and below her, Caroline County firefighters held on to the rope so she wouldn’t fall.

“Now keep your feet where they are and just lean straight back,” said firefighter Tyler Floyd. “Lean back like you’re falling into a nice bed. Feels weird, huh? Now slowly let out a bit of rope with your right hand.”

Inch by inch, Watts lowered herself back and down—until she reached the bottom of the slide on the playground behind the Caroline County Community Services Center. Then she hopped off and ran to play while her colleagues in “Company 4” had their turns being lowered down the slide.

It was the second day of Caroline County’s first fire–rescue summer camp for kids ages 7–13.

Earlier that morning, the 22 campers had learned how to tie clove hitch and figure eight knots and had watched firefighters cut apart a car as if they were rescuing passengers trapped inside.

Later, they would learn hands-only CPR and—weather permitting—observe a medevac helicopter landing.

Robert Eaby, retention and recruitment officer for Caroline County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management, said the goal of the camp is to “plant a seed” in young people that might lead to them becoming volunteer firefighters or EMTs.

“Recruitment [of volunteers] has become a very difficult job,” Eaby said. “There isn’t a jurisdiction that doesn’t struggle with it.”

He said there are a number of theories about why volunteerism has dropped. They include the rise of bedroom communities and people working more than one job, as well as the time commitment and training requirements.

Eaby said he read an article about summer fire and rescue camps and kept the idea in his head for about a year. Earlier this year, he pitched the idea to his recruitment team and to fire and rescue chief Jason Loftus. Everyone was enthusiastic about it.

This year’s camp lasted for three days, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. The cost was only $15 per camper for all three days.

“The only thing the county provided was the T-shirts,” Eaby said. “Everything else was donated—that’s how we were able to charge only $15.”

Lunches each day were provided by Mary Washington Healthcare, Bon Secours Health System and HCA Healthcare.

Rappahannock Electrical Cooperative gave an electrical safety demonstration, the Virginia Department of Forestry presented on wildfire safety, the Caroline Sheriff’s Office gave a K-9 demonstration, PHI Aircare provided the helicopter demonstration and Fort A.P. Hill loaned a fire safety training trailer.

The county’s career firefighters volunteered to help on their days off and members of the county volunteer fire and rescue squads also assisted.

Eaby said camp organizers planned for 15 campers and ended up with 22. They also extended the age range.

“We didn’t turn anybody away,” Eaby said.

Each camper received a firefighter’s hat with his or her name and company assignment taped to the back, as well as a gear bag containing safety eye-wear, gloves and rope.

Eaby said he plans to expand the camp next year, possibly to five days.

On day 2, campers were almost unanimous in what had been their favorite part of camp so far—the drill in which they had to rescue a (plastic) baby from the smoked-up training trailer.

“It’s not real smoke; it’s fog like you’d see at a rock concert,” Eaby explained. “But we got it so smoky, you couldn’t even see your hand.”

Other campers enjoyed getting to safely break open a door using a sledgehammer.

Austin Griffin, 13, said he planned to use his knot-tying skills to entertain himself when he’s bored at his house.

And Watts said she was excited about the CPR training.

“I could use it to help if someone gets sick on one of my grandpa’s job sites,” she said.

How many of the campers want to become firefighters when they grow up?

Almost all of them raised their hands.

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©2018 The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, Va.)

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