Since she was a small girl, Mafi Pamaka, 17, has dreamed of a career in firefighting.
And after attending a recent Camp Fury Girl Scout event in Tucson, she said her dream seems closer than ever. “I know firefighting is a male-dominated occupation, but it’s something I’ve always dreamed of,” she said. “I know it’s something I’ll have to work hard for.”
Pamaka hopes to become a wildland firefighter soon after she graduates from high school and Camp Fury gave her an up-close look at what being a firefighter entails with activities and classes led by women who work in or retired from the profession.
One activity included climbing 105 feet in the air on an aerial ladder.
“I scratched my knees up because I was wearing shorts,” she said.
“But it was a great experience. I knew it would be hard to climb. I tried going up it too fast and I got out of breath pretty quickly but that makes me want to work harder.”