VIDEO: Over the weekend, Sioux Falls Fire Rescue is hosting a camp thatโs the first of its kind for the city, led by the departmentโs women. Sixteen participants are learning what it takes to be part of a fire rescue team. The hope is to inspire the next generation to consider a career in emergency response, particularly women. Drumming up support for an application-based program was very easy for Sioux Falls Fire Rescue Fire and Life Safety Educator Kyle Blakeslee.
She told some of the other women on staff about the idea and asked if they might be interested in helping. All were on board. Eight months of planning later, the first Ignite Academy arrived. โItโs been super exciting this weekend to have it finally come,โ described Blakeslee. โThis is real life now. Itโs not just something weโve talked about.โ
Ignite Academy provided classroom sessions along with hands-on learning, all led by people in the field. It was a great opportunity to raise awareness of the many different roles under the umbrella of fire rescue and the opportunity to try it out.
