Kingston Fire & Rescue is preparing to host the first edition Camp Molly Kingston, inviting girls, non-binary and two-spirit youth to explore different careers in fire service.
Monique Belair, Kingston’s fire chief, founded Camp Molly during her time in Oakville in 2019, aiming to address the underrepresentation of women in the field.
“Of all the career choices out there, the fire service has the lowest number of females per capita. We make up about 7 per cent of the 140,000 firefighters in Canada,” Belair said in an interview with CFRC.
In 2024, Camp Molly is being run in 10 cities across Canada, with Kingston being one of the new additions this year. Kingston’s chapter of the camp is in partnership with the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council and the City of Kingston.
Starting on Thursday, May 23, participants will embark on four days of training, offering them a glimpse into the life of a firefighter.
