Fire Department

The keys to achieving both gender equity and workforce diversity are recruiting and mentoring youth from within the Central Valley.

To this end, the FFD, in partnership with the Fresno Fire Chief’s Foundation (FFCF), sponsors the Girls Empowerment Camp (GEC).  The GEC bridges the gap between youth development and adult recruitment.  This one-day program accommodates 80 young women ranging from 14 to 20 years of age.  These participants get hands-on orientation and training with actual firefighting tools, equipment, and classroom instruction.  The curriculum is designed to inspire interested young women considering a career with the fire service.  From this pool of motivated young women we hope to help guide them towards future application to our agency through mentoring and other support.  The GEC is staffed by FFD active duty female and male firefighters in addition to female firefighters from surrounding fire agencies, and both male and female Fresno City College Fire Academy Cadets.

**Note:  This program is open to all genders on a first-come, first-served basis; however, it is geared toward exposing young women to the profession of firefighting through the lens of a female firefighting perspective.

The “Firefighter for a Day” event is sponsored each year by Fresno Fire Chief’s Foundation and Fresno Fire Department. The event provides members of the community an opportunity to tour historical Fire Station 3 and possibly, participate in the lifesaving skills demonstrated by the men and women of the Department.  During this fun-filled event, participants are offered opportunities to participate in a Basement Search and Rescue, Auto Extrication, and Drill Tower Burn.  Participants operate in small spaces, maneuver through high angles, navigate in hot environments, and participate in heavy lifting situations. All conditions and/or situations are led by an instructor and/or an assistant(s) for obvious safety reasons; all activities will be performed as a team of two individuals. Community members get to enjoy lunch and a video with the Training Staff and Crew of Station 3. This event is restricted to participants age 18 or older.

In 1994, Fresno Firefighters Local 202 decided to create a program known as “Firefighters Creating Memories” that would help the children in the community. During the course of the Big Fresno Fair, a family with a child who has special needs is selected for an all expenses paid day at the fair escorted by off duty firefighters. The family and firefighters are given free admission, and the firefighters spend the day helping the family enjoy the fair the best ways possible. Firefighters can be seen assisting the children onto rides that might otherwise have not been able to enjoy, or simply assisting families through the fair. The firefighters do everything in their power to ensure the child and the family have a safe, fun, and memorable day at the Big Fresno Fair.