Vigo County Junior Fire Camp

About Camp

In January of 2008 planning for the first camp began. A group of firefighters representing the different fire departments in Vigo County discussed the goals of the camp. The general consensus was to establish a safe and fun learning environment that accurately portrayed the specific job functions of firefighters.

The campers learn about the tools used by firefighters, put on fire gear, connect a fire hose to a fire hydrant, roll fire hose, spray water, crawl through a maze, use fire extinguishers to extinguish a real fire, and more. The campers also get lessons on basic first aid and learn what to do in the event of an emergency.

All of the skills learned by the campers get put to the test with relay games designed to mimic the events of a real fire scene. We randomly divide the campers into groups and watch them as they learn to work together as a team to achieve success.

Campers also get to see firefighters in action. We stage a car wreck and show the campers how firefighters use the Jaws of Life to cut open a car. We also divide the camp staff into two teams and run the same relay races as the campers. This is a big hit with the campers (and the staff enjoys it too).

Overall, camp is fun for everyone. The campers go home at the end of the day smiling and the staff is filled with the satisfaction of knowing their hard work was worth it.

Lunch is provided each day for the campers. All campers will get a t-shirt, a sport bottle, a group picture, and a DVD of their camp experience.