Metro Fire Camp shows ‘plenty of room’ for women firefighters

SHERWOOD, Ore. (KOIN) — Taylor Holliday of Beaverton felt empowered.

The young woman was one of dozens of women between the ages of 16-22 who came from various parts of the country to the Metro Fire Camp, a twice-yearly program aimed at recruiting women firefighters.

The three-day camp at the Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue training center in Sherwood was hosted by Portland Fire & Rescue, with professional firefighters from across the West Coast providing the training. This is the 16th year the Metro Fire Camp has been held.

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They tackle hands-on challenges like rope training, hose practice, controlling nozzles and learning the evolution of standpipe operations.

“Everything from all the people, things we’ve done,” Holliday said. “They’ve taught me that there’s more to firefighting than I thought.”

Lt. Terra Vandewiele with Portland Fire & Rescue said they “just really want more women to do it because there’s plenty of room for women and women are so capable of this job.”

Despite the push for diversity in the fire service, less than 5% of career firefighters across the US are women, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

Firefighters, like TVFR’s Jocelyn Lamoreau, want to see that change.

“I remember being in their position and I remember all the feelings that they’re probably feeling today and I know where they’re at and I know where they can go so I’m able to feed into them the way that I feel like they can be nurtured to grow to that position,” Lamoreau told KOIN 6 News. “Just exposure and seeing other women in the fire service is big in itself, just having that visual representation.”

This fire camp ends Sunday, but another is scheduled for July 12.

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