James Gilchrist gets a hand from his dad, Ocean City firefighter Wallace Gilchrist, as he puts on gear next to his sister, Nya. They're preparing to enter the "smoke house."
One of the Ocean City Recreation Department's most popular summer programs started on Monday with more than 30 children taking part in a week-long Junior Firefighter Camp.
The camp introduces children ages 9 to 13 to fire safety, CPR, basic first aid and firefighters' tools and skills.
As in the real department, the junior camp has its veterans — with many participants coming back year after year to enjoy a variety of hands-on activities.
On Monday, for instance, the young firefighters donned gear and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) to search for victims in a "smoke house," a dorm area of the firehouse filled with (harmless) theater smoke used to simulate what firefighters might find on a call. They were able to use a thermal imaging camera (TIC) to help "see" in the dark.
Participation in the camp has more than tripled since it started in 2010, and the growing popularity of the program is a reflection of both the children's interest and the enthusiasm of the instructors.
The camp is staffed entirely by Ocean City firefighters — members of the Firemen's Mutual Benevolent Association Local No. 27 volunteering on their own time to run the program. The camp runs three hours a day for four days at Ocean City Fire Department headquarters on the 500 block of Asbury Avenue.
Captain Vito DiMarco organizes the program.
