$10,000 for Fire Explorer Program
The Kevin Woyjeck Explorers for Life Association (KWEFLA) stopped at the Victorville, CA, Fire Department (VFD) on its way to Firehouse World 2020 in Las Vegas.
Victorville Capt. Jordan Cope is helping his department to start a fire explorer program and reached out to the KWEFLA for support.
KWEFLA is a nonprofit organization that was started by Kevin Woyjeck’s parents, Joe and Anna. It was founded as a way to honor and carry on Woyjeck’s legacy after his line-of-duty passing battling the Yarnell, AZ, wildfire on June 30, 2013, alongside 19 crewmates. KWEFLA helps young men and women to successfully participate in fire career-related explorer programs, as Woyjeck himself once did.
Joe and Anna Woyjeck presented a $2,000 check to the VFD that will be used to purchase boots, gloves and other equipment to support their fire explorer program. KWEFLA also donated 15 hoods, 10 pairs of ESS goggles, 10 pairs of gloves, 10 new Phenix First Due fire helmets, 9 pairs of Pro Warrington structure boots and 8 pairs of wildland boots. The donation totaled more than $10,000.
The association worked a booth at Firehouse World to raise awareness of its organization and to offer support to fire explorer groups.
“Once we made contact with fire department personnel at Firehouse World, they were pleasantly surprised that we were there to try to provide them a service at no cost,” Joe Woyjeck said. “We especially enjoy helping underserved communities, and with the exposure that we received at Firehouse World, we will be able to help many young men and women in their pursuit of becoming a first responder.”
Since its inception, KWEFLA has donated approximately $300,000 in scholarships and equipment to fire explorer programs across the nation.
For additional information, visit explorersforlife.org.
NFFF Camp for Kids
The 9th annual Hal Bruno Camp for Children of Fallen Firefighters will be held in Colorado, June 26–29. This special camp, which is hosted by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), is open to children and stepchildren of a firefighter who was honored or is approved to be honored at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial. This weekend camp gives grieving children a chance to just be children while also providing a safe space to share with peers who suffered a similar loss.
The camp is broken down into two sections: Camp HAL, for children who are 4–6 years old, and the Hal Bruno Comfort Zone Camp (CZC), which caters to those who are 7–17 years old.
Camp HAL is led by a licensed therapist, who specializes in working with young children who are grieving. With support from NFFF staff and volunteers, the camp program uses play therapy to help children to express themselves in their natural language. Camp HAL includes a mix of activities that are appropriate for its age group as well as for children and parents together. Children will stay with their parent or guardian overnight and when they aren’t in camp sessions.
The CZC includes the use of age-based support groups, which are led by licensed grief therapists. Each camper is assigned a “Big Buddy” volunteer, who is screened and trained to serve as a mentor throughout the weekend. Campers and “Big Buddies” participate in traditional camp activities, such as arts and crafts, games and campfires.
On Saturday morning at the hotel, there will be a two-part session for all parents and guardians. The first session will be a panel discussion including adult children who experienced the death of a parent in childhood. The second session (optional) will be a roundtable discussion during which parents can speak with one another about parenting challenges and strategies. On Saturday evening, the NFFF will provide dinner and a movie for Camp HAL campers from 5–7 p.m., so parents can enjoy time connecting with one another.
The Hal Bruno Camp for Children of Fallen Firefighters honors the memory of Hal Bruno, who is the late chairman emeritus of the NFFF’s Board of Directors. Bruno was a longtime Firehouse contributing editor and a political director for ABC News in Washington and served almost 40 years as a volunteer firefighter.
For more information, contact Eric Nagle at [email protected] or (301) 447-1431.
NFPA: Female Firefighter Numbers Low
Recent media coverage highlighted women who are assuming leadership positions in the fire service as well as filling rank and file roles. However, the number of female firefighters in the United States remains relatively low, according to the “U.S. Fire Department Profile,” which was released by the NFPA. The news comes at a time when: The Los Angeles Times reported that one of the nation’s largest fire departments will fall short of their 2020 female hiring goal; and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that women surpassed the number of men who are working in the United States by more than 100,000.
The NFPA report provides an overview of 29,705 local and municipal fire departments in the country. It estimates that in 2018, only 93,700, or 8 percent, of the 1,115,000 firefighters who are in the United States were female. More specifically, 15,200 career firefighters (4 percent) and 78,500 volunteer firefighters (11 percent) were women.
Comparatively, 13 percent of police officers or detectives were female; 21 percent of paramedics or EMTs were women; and 20 percent of the U.S. military is made up of females, with each branch surpassing the number of females in fire uniforms. (Women comprise 20 percent of the Air Force, 19 percent of the Navy, 15 percent of the Army and almost 8 percent of the Marine Corps).
The good news is that women are taking lead roles and getting recognized in their communities. For example:
- Tonya Hoover was appointed in early February to the second highest fire position in the country—Deputy U.S. Fire Administrator. The nation’s top female fire leader is responsible for: the training of at least 100,000 first responders annually via the National Fire Academy; the National Fire Incident Reporting System, which documents and analyzes 27 million fire department emergency responses a year; and the U.S. Fire Administration’s fire prevention, public information and public education programs.
- Tiffany Green, from Prince George’s County, MD, recently became chief of the largest combination career and volunteer fire department in the nation.
- The top three fire leadership positions in Decatur, GA, are held by women.
- Fire shifts that are staffed completely by females are generating attention from the Bay Area of California to Milwaukee, WI, to Brockton, MA.
“Today’s fire service plays a critical role in protecting people and property from myriad challenges,” said Amy Hanifan, who is president of Women in Fire, which provides education, support and advocacy for fire service women. “That role is enhanced when we prioritize the hiring and promotion of diverse candidates, including female firefighters, to be reflective of our communities and the overall U.S. labor pool. It is refreshing to see positive signs of change in the fire service and promising that there is a desire to cultivate even more change in the future.”
For more information, visit nfpa.org.
This Month in Fire History
April 1, 1853, Cincinnati, OH—First salaried fire department established
April 4, 1949, Effingham, IL—St. Anthony Hospital fire kills 74
April 6, 1968, Richmond, IN—Marting Arms Sporting Goods explosions kill 41
April 10, 1917, Eddystone, PA—Eddystone Ammunition Company explosion kills 133
April 15, 2013, Boston—Bomb explosions at Boston Marathon kill three, injure hundreds
April 17, 2013, West, TX—Explosion at fertilizer plant kills 15, including 10 firefighters
April 18, 1906, San Francisco—The Great San Francisco Earthquake fire kills more than 315
April 19, 1993, Waco, TX—Religious group complex fire kills 47
April 19, 1995, Oklahoma City—Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing kills 168
April 21, 1878, New York—First firehouse pole installed
April 23, 1940, Natchez, MS—Rhythm Club fire kills 207
April 29, 1992, Los Angeles—Civil disturbance fire causes $567 million in damages
Courtesy of NFPA
Firehouse Staff
Content written and created by Firehouse Magazine editors.
