By Mandy Moraes, NLPS staff
There was no shortage of excitement at North Cedar Fire Rescue earlier this week, as roughly 15 Grade 11 and 12 students from Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools took part in a first-of-its-kind Women’s First Responder Day.
Hosted by Dover Bay Secondary graduate and firefighter Ella Page, the event was organized in partnership with the school district’s Career Technical Centre and Island Ignite, a Vancouver Island mentorship program focused on supporting young women.
The idea began with a simple student inquiry.
“A student emailed and asked, ‘Are there any opportunities to look into being a first responder?’” said Dave Travers, principal of the Career Technical Centre. “That got me thinking. Island Ignite connected me with Ella, and we’ve been planning this for probably three months.”
Travers credited Page’s leadership and organization for bringing the day together, along with the support of approximately 18 women first responders from departments across Vancouver Island, including Comox Fire Rescue, Cherry Creek Fire Department, Cranberry Fire Department and Lantzville Fire Rescue.
Students began Wednesday morning touring fire trucks and speaking with women working in the field about their career journeys and the technical side of fire investigations.
In the afternoon, the focus shifted to hands-on learning.
Participants rotated through skill stations designed to provide a realistic introduction to the fire service. They practiced CPR, naloxone administration, hard collaring and pelvic stabilization at the medical station. Outside, they learned hose operations, proper stance and teamwork, and how to manage a tack line. They also performed rescue drags to simulate removing downed occupants or firefighters, and completed a “Fire Fit” circuit that mirrors elements of the firefighter physical fitness test.
“This covers some basic firefighting training,” Page said. “Firefighting is a vast field, but this gives them a taste of the fun, hands-on drills we do.”
For many students, the experience was both empowering and eye-opening.
Addison, a Grade 11 student at Cedar Community Secondary School, has spent the past eight months as a junior member with North Cedar Fire Rescue.
“My dad’s been in the fire department longer than I’ve been alive, so I grew up around it,” she said. “My favourite part of today was seeing all of these people learn that they’re more capable than they thought they were coming in.”
Dakota, a Grade 11 student at Nanaimo District Secondary School, hopes to pursue wildfire firefighting after graduation.
“I wanted to attend this because after high school I really want to go into firefighting, specifically wildfire firefighting around B.C.,” she said. “Today was a good opportunity to learn how firefighters train. And because it was girls-only, it felt very comfortable.”
Page noted that women remain underrepresented in firefighting, making up only about five per cent of professional firefighters.
“The event is really just to present the opportunity,” she said. “A lot of people don’t consider this career path until much later. Many women in the service had early exposure — someone who showed them this was possible.”
The day also served as a preview of Island Ignite’s three-day summer camp, open to Grade 11 and 12 students from Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and the Sunshine Coast. The immersive camp includes auto-extrication training, wearing full gear with SCBA air packs, entering a smoke-filled training building and practicing search-and-rescue. Room, board and meals are covered.
Debra Rogers, president of Island Ignite, said the goal is simple.
“There’s not the expectation that they want to be a firefighter,” she said. “But if they do, this gives them an avenue.”
Applications for the 2026 camp will open soon on Island Ignite’s website and social media channels.
