LEXINGTON, Ky (LEX 18) The Lexington Fire Department is hoping to break the mold by teaching young girls who want to become first responders in honor of Lt. Brenda Cowan, a firefighter who lost her life in the line of duty 14 years ago.
Cowan was responding to a shooting scene when she was shot and killed. She was the first African American woman to join the Lexington Fire Department. The department hopes that through its training, her legacy lives on through generations.
"I think a lot of women will automatically dismiss being a firefighter because they think ‘I’m not as big as a guy’, or maybe, "I can’t physically do the job". And that’s something that’s not true," said Captain Carrie Wilburn with the Lexington Fire Department. "Brenda was an incredible firefighter and she was known for her sense of humor and just her ability to do the job."
At the camp, the girls will be able to talk to some of the nearly 20 women who are already with the Lexington Fire Department.
"We have some women that are 5’2, 5’3, 5’1 and they’re equally effective. Because if we have a confined space or something like that, that’s when they’re going to be the point person for a rescue like that," said Wilburn.
Girls participating in the camp will do hands-on activities like extricating from a vehicle.
The camp starts Friday evening.
