NORWICH – In the effort to spark young people’s interest in becoming a firefighter, the Chenango County Fire Bureau put on its first-ever Fire Camp at the firefighter training grounds in Norwich on Saturday for kids across the county.

The free event, helped by a number of volunteers from fire departments throughout Chenango County, provided kids ages 12-14 the experience of being a “firefighter for a day” through hands-on experiences such as search and rescue techniques, ropes and rappelling, fire extinguisher training, hose line advancement, and fire ground tactics.

Said Chenango County Fire Coordinator Matthew Beckwith, “We are teaching them fire safety, but we’re also trying to get these kids interested at a young age so that when they get to be that age when they can volunteer, they will also be interested in joining their respective fire service program.”

Beckwith added his hopes that the eleven children who participated will return to school in September and spread the word on Fire Camp, which is already planned to be an overnight event at the Norwich Fire Department when held again next summer.

“This was all about giving them a positive experience,” he said. “We want to open their eyes to what it means to be a firefighter at a young age and make a good impression on them.”