Michigan's Blaze & Blue Girls Camp For Aspiring First Responders

If you know a young girl who has aspirations of becoming a firefighter, first responder, or law enforcement officer-- this is for them!

The first-ever "Blaze & Blue" summer camp is set to take place this summer in Ann Arbor. Here's everything you need to know:

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According to MLive, the Ann Arbor fire and police departments will host the inaugural summer camp with the hopes of inspiring young women who are considering pursuing a career in public service.

Throughout the 4-day experience, these young women will be exposed to the realities of what working in firefighting and law enforcement is like with hands-on training. Ann Arbor Police Deputy Chief Aimee Metzer tells MLive,

I think there’s a lot of misconceptions that are on TV, how we’re portrayed...you’re constantly running into gunfire, you’re constantly doing some heroics. But a lot of time it’s just little things that you do to make people’s days better

What to Expect

Activities included in the day camp range from fire extinguisher training, vehicle extrication, crime scene investigation, fingerprinting, station tours, among others. Metzger says in their downtime, "...we can all sit and talk and we can answer questions and be honest and develop those relationships."

Who Can Attend

The 4-day summer camp is free and open to young women between the ages of 13 to 18. Camp will run from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. with lunch provided from June 27-30, 2023.

Although registration is now closed for the Ann Arbor session, do you know of any similar experiences that are offered here in West Michigan?

A Surrealistic Plastic Bag Store Visits Ann Arbor

A traveling art exhibit has entered the city limits of Ann Arbor, offering a surrealistic walk through a fake grocery store where all of the items are created from discarded plastic trash. Creator Robin Frohardt got the idea for the "Plastic Bag Store" exhibit after watching a store clerk bag, double bag, and triple bag her groceries. She collected plastic from friends, family, and garbage cans alongside the street. The results are rather realistic.