For one day, 12-year-old Hannah Cole got to put on a helmet and learn what it’s like to be a Chicago firefighter.
Cole was one of dozens of girls who participated in the Chicago Fire Department’s “Firefighter for a Day” event Thursday morning at the Quinn Fire Academy, 558 W. De Koven St. The girls learned about fire safety, participated in drills and were able to spend time with members of the CFD.
“I consider them very important heroes,” Cole said.
Cole’s curiosity about what it’s like to be a firefighter and paramedic grew from watching firefighters on television. But after spending time with firefighters, many of whom were women, she said she could see herself becoming one in the future.
“I always thought that firefighters were mostly men, but today I realized they’re not,” Cole said.
Nia Moore, a firefighter and EMT, was one of the many female firefighters who helped lead drills at the event. Moore, who joined the department nearly three years ago, said it was important to show the girls that women can also be firefighters.
Moore said she’s seen an increase in women entering the field, which she believes is partly because more girls are learning they can pursue careers as first responders.
“It’s because we’re showing young girls that they have a chance in this ‘male-dominated’ profession,” Moore said.
The girls came from across Chicago. The nonprofit Girls Inc. of Chicago brought a group ranging from kindergarteners to eighth graders, while others participated in the CFD’s Camp Courage.
At the event, they were able to try on the bunker gear, run through obstacle courses, practice CPR on dummies, and spray water from the firehose.
The department also let the girls climb onto a fire truck and jump in the back of an ambulance.
While some girls were eager to run through the courses, others like Savannah Moore could not wait to get the oversized gear off.
“It’s heavy and I’m hot,” said the 6-year-old as she waddled to the back of the line after successfully rescuing a doll from the pretend fire.
Domonique Isaac, director of programming at Girls Inc. of Chicago, said the organization gives its campers the opportunity to explore different career paths throughout the summer. This was the nonprofit’s seventh year participating in the event, which is one the girls look forward to every year.
“It really gets the girls hands-on, gets them to meet really amazing adults who help instill confidence and physical activity, but also shows them how the fire department supports our community,” Isaac said.
Isaac said it was important to introduce girls to different career opportunities as young as possible so they can see themselves in those spaces.
“Even if they don’t end up going into this field, having the respect for it and being another supporter of other women who do go into that field is going to be important,” she said.
Olivia Williams’ favorite activity was sitting in the back of an ambulance and practicing her CPR skills alongside paramedics. Williams, 12, learned CPR as a junior lifeguard with the Chicago Park District but said it was her first time inside an ambulance.
“I’ve always thought being a firefighter is cool,” she said. “It’s been fun meeting firefighters and paramedics and trying out what they do.”
Williams said she wants to pursue a career as a realtor when she’s older, but was glad for the opportunity to participate in the event. When asked if she would do it again she didn’t hesitate to answer: “Definitely.”
The Fire Department has expanded its efforts to bring more women into the field, according to fire officials. Allowing young girls to experience what it’s like to be a firefighter for a day is one of the many ways the department is working toward that goal.
Chicago Fire District Chief Betty Ortiz said she hoped the girls left feeling more confident in their ability to do challenging things.
“What I want them to remember is that we can all do this job,” Ortiz said. “If later on in life they decide this is what they want to do, being here has given them that step forward where they can now say, ‘I got this. I can do this.’”