Camp Fury Norfolk

This summer, for the first time ever, Norfolk Fire-Rescue and Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast partnered to host Camp Fury Norfolk, a week-long firefighting and emergency preparedness experience. The goal of Camp Fury is to introduce girls to firefighting as a career, give girls the chance to meet women in fields typically dominated by men and provide experiences for girls to try new things and build self-confidence and teamwork skills.

The camp kicked off on Monday, where girls were issued turnout gear and helmets for the week. They jumped right into firefighter training, climbing an aerial ladder on a firetruck, taking part in self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) orientation, learning how to properly carry ladders and trying their hand at forcible entry. A highlight of the activities for the week was rappelling inside Chrysler Hall. The girls harnessed up and rappelled from the front of the stage into the orchestra pit. They also climbed up onto the catwalk and rappelled down onto the stage.

"Many of the girls at Camp Fury had not considered firefighting as a career for them before coming to camp," Norfolk Firefighter Paramedic Darlene Braun said. "We're showing them that they can be anything that they want to be."

In addition to learning about firefighting, the girls were also introduced to other public safety careers. They spent an afternoon with the Norfolk Police Department, where they watched a police canine unit demonstration, learned about a bomb robot and took part in physical training alongside female police officers. A tour of the emergency departments at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters were also on the schedule for the week, as well as a stop at Naval Station Norfolk, where the girls met with Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 14 (HM-14).

Camp Fury Norfolk is the third Camp Fury offered by Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast. Camp Fury will also be hosted with the City of Hampton Division of Fire and Rescue and the Chesapeake Fire Department this summer. Firefighter Paramedic Braun, who brought Camp Fury to Norfolk, previously volunteered at Camp Fury in Hampton and Chesapeake.

At Camp Fury, and at all Girl Scout camps, girls are immersed in a supportive, all-girl environment where they develop into go-getters, innovators, risk takers and leaders.