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Achieve Anything Foundation hosts female firefighting day

Women invited to explore careers in firefighting at May 12 event
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Supplied photo

A new event promises to ignite a passion for firefighting among women.

The Achieve Anything Foundation, founded by Langley’s Kirsten Brazier, is inviting women to experience a day in the life of a firefighter on May 12, 2018.

Partnering with Vancouver Fire & Rescue Services (VFRS), women will take part in hazardous materials decontamination, auto extrication, live fire demonstration, technical rescue with rappel from a burn tower and a heavy urban search and rescue drill.

The free event is part of a series of “Operation: This IS You!” opportunities hosted by the Achieve Anything Foundation to improve gender diversity and opportunities for women in non-traditional fields.

“Our career opportunities expand far greater than putting out fires and kicking in doors,” said Tyler Moore, deputy chief, planning and technical services with VFRS.

“We will ignite your passion in ways you never knew firefighting could do.”

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The Achieve Anything Foundation, a not-for-profit, seeks to inspire female future leaders in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

“Since the number of women in aviation, aerospace, marine and defence, as well as other STEM-based industries, remains low, the result is that few females have other females in their network to share their experience and passion for these fields,” said Brazier, who is a professional pilot.

“In day-to-day life, women generally don’t ‘see’ themselves reflected in these areas, and this is continually reinforced in the media and social media.

“Therefore, if women are not aware of these opportunities, it is unreasonable to expect them to be interested in pursuing STEM-based fields. We’ve implemented ‘Operation: This IS You!’ to develop this network of experience by providing year-round experience events for females in the applicable agency or industry partner’s native environment.”

The foundation’s signature event, The Sky’s No Limit – Girls Fly Too!, is held annually during the week of International Women’s Day.

Since 2012 there have been over 45,300 participants and 7,127 free flights provided to female first-time fliers.

Other events being held by the foundation in 2018 include a day sail on the navy warship HMCS Calgary (in Vancouver, Jan. 29), a science at sea day with the Canadian Coast Guard and Fisheries & Oceans Canada (in Sidney, Feb. 3), and a search and rescue day with the Canadian Coast Guard (in Richmond, March 31).

READ MORE: Hey, women!: All hands on deck on a warship Oct. 21

For more information, and to apply for these events, visit www.achieveanything.ca.