In photos – The heat is on as HRFE hosted Camp Courage for fire day 1!
Campers took on a wide variety of challenging tasks at the first day of fire.
From learning how to prepare hose and using hose, fighting fire with the training division, to HAZMAT gear and challenges with agility and communication in the heavy gear, the campers couldn’t get enough!
And conquering fears of dark and confined spaces, the campers took to the smoke house to try to find a victim in a dark, smokey and scary environment while others took to a confidence course, following a hose through a confined and obstacle filled unit before making their way outside where the obstacle course continued with tubes and tunnels, narrow crawl spaces and changes in elevation, all while wearing full breathing gear.
This lead to problem solving where the campers had to get themselves up and over, under and through the obstacles while wearing the gear.
And campers weren’t the only ones enjoying the challenges as both HRFE office staff and EHS Paramedics gave firefighting a shot, taking a forward charge and Blasting the fire with smiles as they were cheered on by campers.
And again, a big thank you to the Salvation Army for the great meals!
**** Info via Camp Courage
Goals and Objectives
The primary purpose of the camp is to introduce young women to careers as first responders.
The camp will aim to provide information, inspiration, education and opportunities to experience the physical demands, thereby allowing a more accurate perception of what it takes to act in these roles.
The ultimate goal is that young women will leave with a sense of empowerment and the confidence to believe that they can achieve any goal, career or dream they desire.
History
‘Camp Courage‘, The First Responders Society is an incorporated non-profit company established by firefighter, Andréa Speranza, in January 2006, for the purpose of introducing young women aged 15- 19 to careers as first responders primarily paramedics, police officers, and firefighters.
The camp aimed at providing information, education, inspiration and opportunities to experience the physical demands, thereby providing a better idea of what it takes to act in these roles.
The ultimate goal was that the young women will leave with a sense of empowerment and the confidence to believe that they can achieve any goal, career or dream they desire.
The camp is 100% free. In order to be accepted into camp the candidate must write an essay on one of two topics.
The first is how they can improve someone else’s life that is less fortunate. The second is how they can improve their Community. Instead of paying cash they have to do what they say in their essay. The only limitation is their imagination.
Mission
Goals and Objectives
The primary purpose of the camp is to introduce young women to careers as first responders. The camp will aim to provide information, inspiration, education and opportunities to experience the physical demands, thereby allowing a more accurate perception of what it takes to act in these roles. The ultimate goal is that young women will leave with a sense of empowerment and the confidence to believe that they can achieve any goal, career or dream they desire.
Core Values
Camp Courage core values are:
- respect – for self and others, treat yourself how you would treat someone else and treat someone else how they would treat you
- responsibility – take 100% responsibility for our actions, we can’t control all circumstances but we can control our reactions to the circumstances
- honesty – is the only foundation in which lasting relationships can build
- empathy/compassion – the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of another
- commitment to constant improvement – always try our hardest, exceed expectations, eventually it will pay off
- positive attitude – “Our attitudes propel us forward toward our victories or bog us down in defeat. Our attitudes make us rich or poor, happy or unhappy, fulfilled or incomplete. They are the single most determining factor in every action we will ever make. We and our attitudes are inextricably combined; we are our attitudes and our attitudes are us.” Helmstetter – maintain a positive attitude
- work hard – hard work helps us realize our potential, helps us face up to life’s challenges, makes us feel good, builds character, earns respect of others, earns self respect, adds meaning to our life, gets best results and is healthy for us.
- courage – the courage to stand up for the hard right over the easy wrong, the courage to stand up for ourselves, the courage to dream the biggest, most exciting dreams, and the courage to believe in ourselves
“We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.” Winston Churchill
Expectations
What to Expect:
- To have fun
- To discover that this camp is very different from other camps
- To make new, cool friends
- To physically exert yourself
- To spend a lot of time together with emergency personnel
- To be on your best behavior
- To try many new, exciting, different things
- To learn a lot about others and yourself
- To be exhausted
- To be challenged and frustrated at times
- To learn a lot about the emergency services
- To see new and unusual things
- To do lots of hands on exercises
- To follow rules – even when you don’t agree with them
- To do things you have never done before
- To have a ridiculous amount of fun
- To be sad when the program ends
What not to Expect:
- To have others pick up after you
- To have a lot of free time
- To have a lot of privacy – all activities are group activities
- To have everything explained to you personally
- To have things go the way you planned
- To ever regret your camp experience
Fitness
Preparation Guide for the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT)
The job of a fire fighter is one of the most physically demanding jobs in North America. It requires high levels of cardiopulmonary endurance, muscular strength and muscular endurance. The Candidate Physical Ability Test consists of eight critical physical tasks that simulate actual job duties on the fireground. This test is physically demanding and requires that you be physically fit to be successful. This guide was developed to assist you with physically preparing yourself for the test.
Click here to view the CPAT — Candidate Preparation Guide
CrossFit Offers a fitness model that has been proven by elite athletes, armed forces personal and thousands of everyday people like you. We prescribe purely functional exercise that will promote your ability to function day-to-day. If you are prepared to put in the effort, Crossfit can make you fitter than you ever thought possible.
The Andrew Bednarz Firefighting School Bursary
Andrew Bednarz started his career as in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1991-1997. He became a member of the Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency Service Department in 1997. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2008, Training Officer in 2009, Captain in 2010 and Divisional Commander in 2013. Andrew passed away on December 4th, 2015 at the young age of 46. He was well respected and liked by everyone. To ensure his memory lives on, we fund-raise monies that will be awarded as a $500 bursary(s) to Camp Courage graduates who pursue high educational opportunities in the field of firefighting.
This bursary is implemented so Andrew’s name and spirit will live on through inspiring the camp graduates towards the profession he loved so very much, firefighting.
A fire helmet decal will be given in response to the donation. We won’t ask a specific amount but we will remind people that income tax receipts will be provided for amounts of $10 and over. Win-win for everyone.
100% of the proceeds will go to a bursary in Andrew’s name to a camp graduate who will be attending a firefighting educational facility. All past graduates will be eligible, and each candidate can only get the bursary once. One bursary will be given for every $500 that is collected to provide this wonderful, inspiring opportunity to other individuals.
We will accept cash and cheques in person, as well as, e-transfers, PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, American express, Discover credit cards on line www.campcourage.ca. Cheques are written to Camp Courage, The First Responder’s Society.
If you have any questions please contact Andréa at 902-488-1188.
Camp Courage regular camps operate on odd years, and 2023 will be the next camp.
For more information,
go to https://campcourage.ca/ or
Contact us at campcourage1@gmail.com
How to Donate
If you would like to make a difference in a young ladies life, your emergency services and your community, please donate now.
If you would like to broaden a young woman’s perspective, increase her confidence and empower her, please donate now.
If you would like to make a young woman aware of her unlimited options as well as her unlimited potential, please donate now.
If you would like to teach a young woman how fun it is to challenge yourself and how powerful it is to overcome her obstacles, please donate now.
If you would like to help develop a larger support network of strong independent role models for young women, please donate now.
If you would like to help develop our future leaders, please donate now.
If you would like to help create a workforce that more accurately represents the community we live in, please donate now.
The camp is 100% free in order to be accepted the young ladies have to write an essay on how to improve someone else’s life that is less fortunate or how they can improve their community. These young ladies are making a difference by helping the young, old, homeless, physically and mentally challenged people while they are improving our community and environment. The ripple effect of the benefits to our community is immeasurable. Together we can develop empowered, good valued, productive community members. Your donation would provide a significant, positive effect to our youth, emergency services and community.
Camp Courage, the First Responder’s Society is a not for profit (business number 858394364), registered charity (charity number 4364) that was established in 2006. Donations are welcome.
Make a donation to Camp Courage using PayPal, and help the organization that empowers young women.
Donate by Cheque:
Please make cheques payable to Camp Courage the First Responders Society and send to:
Camp Courage
281 Craigburn Drive
Dartmouth, NS
Canada B2X 3V1
You will receive a receipt for tax purposes. Please contact Andréa Speranza for letters of request for sponsorship or if you have any further questions. Thank-you in advance for your support.
Via Camp Courage
Camp Courage Fundraiser Alert
You don’t want to miss out on these amazing decals to alert Emergency services that you have pets inside. Please fill out this form https://forms.office.com/r/QTRZ2zNvat to order your pet products today.
Application Directions
Clean the surface with rubbing alcohol and dry it. Peel backing off. Place the decal, sticky side, down correctly aligned on the surface. Use a credit card to smooth it out. We recommend putting them on the windows. Caution the sticker may damage other surfaces. We assume no liability for any damage. Avoid applying in extreme temperatures between 10-32 degrees. Please indicate you have read these directions by stating yes.
