A teenager nicknamed “Full Throttle” graduated from Portland Metro Fire Camp Sunday knowing how to use her rescue belt to bail out of a two-story window and a chainsaw to cut a roof vent to let super heated gases and smoke escape.

She is one of 480 women, age 16 to 21, to attend the three-day camp since the program started 14 years ago.

“This is an amazing event for girls to experience and develop the skills needed to become professional firefighters,” said Christina Dizon, a camp instructor and firefighter with Portland Fire & Rescue.

Dizon, who assists camp director Terra Vandewiele, said 33% of the participants have become professional firefighters.

Fire campers learn to use a rescue belt to bail out of a two-story window.Greg Monson

Dizon didn’t attend the camp but after hearing about it from her younger sisters, Emily and Natalie, she was motivated to trade careers. At the time, she was a performance coach who owned her business.

Emily and Natalie also went through training, and their brother, Samuel, a medic in Texas, was hired by the Vancouver Fire Department. Now all four siblings work for Portland area fire bureaus.

Women firefighters from the area as well as those from Seattle to Los Angeles volunteer to be instructors at two fire camps each year: The second fire camp will be hosted by Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue July 15-17. Applications for 2023 are due next spring.

The camp has hands-on training in controlling nozzles, pulling hoses and using ropes and ladders.

Loop Hi-Way Towing in Gresham donated wrecked cars for the young women to practice extrication by taking off the doors and hood, and cutting out windows.

They also were instructed on safe search-and-rescue practices, and were given first aid information and job interview skills.

The camp hopes more women will consider entering male-dominated careers.

“Having this exposure opens the possibilities,” said Dizon. “The cadre of females in firefighting is not large, but the tide is turning.”

A report from Portland’s auditor issued June 29 found that although Chief Sara Boone, a Black woman, has been in charge since 2019, the Portland Fire Bureau is struggling to move away from its white, male-dominated culture.

Men comprised 89% of the bureau’s more than 700 employees in 2021, and 79% were white.

City Auditor Mary Hull Caballero said in the report that the bureau’s culture may alienate women and people of color, despite an effort to change workplace hiring practices to build a more diverse staff.

Women also get derailed by the physical fitness test, said Dizon.

“But I’m hopeful CrossFitters and girls accustomed to training and being in sports see this profession as viable,” she said. “You can train your body to do certain things more efficiently and pass the timed Fire Service Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT).”

Portland Metro Fire Camp was started in 2008 by firefighters Liz Thompson, Stephanie Adams, Christine Pezzulo and Lisa Knight along with firefighter recruiter Irene Concepcion-Sestric and training administration assistant Tammy Willet.

Companies can donate lunches, equipment or prizes.

Information about the use of a chainsaw during training was corrected.

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