Frequently Asked Questions
Girls on Fire is a program that helps young people build confidence and leadership skills while learning about fire, disasters, and emergencies. We run hands-on training where you can learn useful skills and get advice from experienced mentors. We work with schools, youth and community groups, emergency services, businesses, and charities to give you real-life experience, training, and support. Our goal is to help you make new friends, explore career options, and find ways to help your community.
We run day camps, specialised programs, and vocational training.
Why do you run Girls on Fire camps?
Our fire camps give you a chance to see what it’s like to work or volunteer in fire and emergency services. You’ll discover new skills, grow your confidence, and learn things that could help save lives in a crisis. These camps can also open doors to future jobs and volunteering roles. By learning how to handle emergencies, you’ll not only help yourself but also make your community stronger. Research shows that girls and young people who come to our camps feel more prepared for emergencies and more connected to their communities afterward.
But even if you might not see yourself as a future firefighter or emergency volunteer yet, Girls on Fire camps are great for showing you what you can do with the right support, encouragement, and opportunity!
Where are Girls on Fire camps held?
Girls on Fire camps are travelling events. Our camps take place by request of schools and other organisations, as part of regional roadshows, and to celebrate culturally specific events wherever the invitations and funding can take us! We work with bodies like state education departments, independent schools, juvenile justice, and funding bodies like the NSW Investing in Women grant and the NAB Foundation to make camps happen.
We've run Girls on Fire camps in:
And we've got plans for South Australia in 2025!
To find out when a Girls on Fire camp is near you, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, or sign up for our newsletter on our website.
What happens at camp?
This is not your everyday experience! Girls on Fire camps are hands on, action-packed learning with:
You'll also meet local fire and disaster personnel from state fire and emergency services, rural fire services, and other agencies who help manage fires, floods, car accidents, and other disasters.
Yes! Girls on Fire collaborate with schools, youth groups, and educational bodies to offer exciting alternatives to traditional excursions and career days. Our fire camps provide hands-on learning opportunities in areas such as community engagement, climate change, emergency response, and more.
We have a proven track record working with all kinds of educators, schools, government bodies, and private companies to create camps and roadshows young people love.
Absolutely! You don't need to be an extrovert or know anyone attending to feel welcome at our camps. Girls on Fire attracts all kinds of young people who want to make a difference that are interested in science, physical education, climate change, and community service.
We value diversity and inclusivity, creating safe spaces for young people to thrive. We run cultural inclusion programs that highlight Australia's amazing Indigenous culture, LGBTQIA+ specialty programs, and even work with at-risk youth in Juvenile Justice settings. Our camps are designed for you to be yourself, make new friends, and find your place.
What do you mean by "girls"?
Originally, Girls on Fire was created to encourage girls and women to pursue roles in fire and emergency services. While we still mainly offer fire camps for girls aged 14 to 18, that mission has expanded with our program offerings. We've also welcomed non-binary, gender-nonconforming teens, and LGBTQIA+ identifying boys. We've also run boys specific camps within our Juvenile Justice programs.
Most of our Girls on Fire camps are for girls and young people aged 14 to 18 unless stated otherwise.
How can I get Girls on Fire at my school or town?
We’re open to running camps in new locations! The best way to bring Girls on Fire to your community is to get your school involved or reach out to the Department of Education.
You can also apply for youth education and disaster recovery grants, selecting Girls on Fire as your preferred program.
We’ve successfully partnered with independent schools and are happy to work with youth services or community groups interested in fundraising for a camp. You can also apply for youth education and disaster recovery grants, selecting Girls on Fire as your preferred program. Get in touch and let's talk!
The camps are FREE for participants! Our fire camps are funded by supporters, grants, government bodies, vocational programs, or schools. If you are an organisation or government body that wants to talk about running a Girls on Fire camp in your local area, get in touch.
Check our events section for your nearest camp. When you find a program you're interested in, sign up on that events page. You'll need to fill out a medical form and provide your contact information. Once you register, we'll send you all the camp details and instructions on what to do next!
Please let us know! Our camps are in high demand, and we often have a waitlist. So we can give your place to someone else, please let us know if you can't go as soon as you can.
Our mentors are from the Girls on Fire team, your local fire and emergency services, and other community members who want to inspire and empower their community members. They are active or former emergency service personnel with expertise in handling emergencies and working with young people as well as people with experience with working with young people, like counsellors, teachers, and cultural mentors. That way, you can network while you learn!
Every mentor holds a Working With Children Check, Police Check, and first-aid training. We also make there’s a Wellbeing Officer who is trained in mental health first-aid at every camp.
What safety measures are in place at the camp?
We take safety seriously at Girls on Fire! All our fire and emergency activities are carefully planned, tested, and are run by experts. We’ll walk you through each exercise and have contingency plans in case of any unexpected events. A Safety Officer is appointed for each program, and they conduct the safety briefing at the start of the day. All volunteers are risk managers who know how to manage unexpected incidents. And start the day with running through our plan for emergencies and evacuation procedures.
Is there enough supervision to look after all the campers?
Yes! Each fire camp includes Girls on Fire staff, volunteers from the local fire and emergency services, teachers from the school and/or other adults from the organisation that requested the camp. Our ratio is usually one adult per five campers.
What is the day's schedule like?
Our camps follow a typical school day schedule, beginning around 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM and ending by 3:00 PM. We break for morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea, with some downtime between activities. Here's a sample schedule:
SAMPLE TIMETABLE
9:00 AM: Camp Welcome
9:30 AM: Fire Truck Demonstration
11:00 AM: Morning Tea Break
11:30 AM: Wrecked Car Simulation
1:00 PM: Lunch
2:00 PM: Outdoor Group Activities
3:00 PM: Reflection & Wrap-up
Girls on Fire camps are about hands on learning! We spend most of the time outdoors, learning new skills and using real-life emergency equipment, doing physical activities, and in emergency simulations. Classroom sessions are minimal and focused on discussions about fire and emergency services, emergency management & interactive team activities.
Bring sunscreen and a water bottle that you can refill throughout the day. We’ll provide water, food, shade, and snacks (morning and afternoon tea) as well as lunch. If you have allergies or dietary restrictions, let us know during registration.
Wear comfortable clothes and trainers for physical activities. Good options include sports leggings, a t-shirt, and sneakers. You don’t need to wear a school uniform unless your school requests it. We supply personal protective equipment from the fire and emergency services during the day.
Our activities are designed to be action-packed! Expect to run, jump, and carry things. If you have access requirements due to a disability or injury, please let us know when you register.
Though we haven’t run specific camps for teens with disabilities yet, we’re eager to make our camps more inclusive in the future.
No need to bring friends—Girls on Fire is a place to meet new people! We’ve got both individual and group activities planned, so there’s something for everyone. We make our camps inclusive, so if you’re an introvert or non-neurotypical, don’t worry. You’ll feel safe, included, and part of the team. If you have access requirements with group or social activities, please let us know when you register.
Most of our camps are non-residential, meaning no overnight stay is required. Our camps are typically one-day events. For two-day camps, you'll go home in the evening and return the next day. For any future fire camps with a residential component, we will note this on the event with instructions.
If you're traveling and need accommodation, let us know! We may be able to help connect you with volunteers or another attendee for billeting, but this depends on availability and local connections. The sooner you tell us, the better chance we can help.
Yes! All Girls on Fire graduates receive a certificate and take part in a presentation ceremony. We also send a digital version to the email you registered with.
What happens if the weather is bad?
In the case of bad weather (rain, high winds, fire danger), we may need to postpone or cancel the fire camp. Keep an eye on your email the week before camp, and check your email and phone the day of the camp for any last-minute updates.
What happens if my fire camp is cancelled?
If your camp is cancelled, we will do our best to reschedule it. However, since we operate on a full schedule, it may take some time to find a new date. When we do, you’ll be the first to have the option to attend the rescheduled camp.
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land where we work and live. Girls on Fire pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We celebrate the stories, culture and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders of all communities who also work and live on this land.
