Camp Courage kid's daycamp raises awareness of emergency service personnel role

NEWS RELEASE - Distributed July 19, 2017 4:00 PM

Summary

On Tuesday July 18th, 80 children participated in the first ever Camp Courage.

Camp Courage is a series of two one-day camps put together by a joint effort between the RCMP, IAFF Local 905, Parks & Recreation and Nanaimo Fire Rescue. The objective of the camp is to provide children at risk with an opportunity to meet uniformed emergency service personnel at day camps.

Too often children see people in uniform during serious events that can involve deeply negative circumstances. Camp Courage provides an opportunity for these children to gain confidence and recognize that uniformed emergency services personnel are safe.

Children get an opportunity to be kids while being provided with an opportunity to learn about police, fire and life safety issues. Police and Fire departments and the firefighters union provided static displays of apparatus and adapted training drills into playful activities such as a mini firefighter challenge, bucket brigade and the fire safety house fire evacuation demonstration. Fire crews demonstrate tools, fire hose streams and helped kids dress up as real fire fighters in authentic bunker gear.

Link to Strategic Plan: The City of Nanaimo is committed to Public Safety.

Key Points

On Tuesday July 18, 42 neighbourhood children in the southend and 38 Syrian refugee children participated in the first ever Camp Courage.
Children got an opportunity to be kids and an opportunity to learn about police, fire and life safety issues.

Quotes

"Kids from the Syrian refugee program attended. One Syrian host family stated that for most of these kids this was the first time they were able to enjoy playing and having fun without fear after having spent 3 years in a refugee camp. Many of these kids came from a war torn country prior to that under horrific circumstances."

Brad Wood

Assistant Chief - Operations

Nanaimo Fire Rescue

-30-

Contact:

Alan Millbank

Fire Prevention Officer

Nanaimo Fire Rescue

250-755-4562

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