By MADDY VITALE
Olivia Blankley confidently navigated her descent down a rope with the help of an Ocean City firefighter Thursday.
She even gave the crowd a thumbs-up.
The 9-year-old Somers Point girl wasn’t in need of an emergency response. She was repelling 15 feet down the ceiling of the fire department during the 13th annual Junior Firefighter Summer Camp, which ran from Monday to Thursday.
“This is my first year of camp. I’m having a lot of fun,” Olivia said shortly after her two feet were planted on the ground.
The camp, held each year at fire headquarters at 550 Asbury Avenue, offers kids from 9 to 12 years old a hands-on experience in some of the things firefighters do in their daily duties.
Capt. Chris Vliet said the campers are usually eager, like Olivia, to try out repelling.
“Even though it is high up, the firefighters talk to them and the kids go up and then down. It is safe,” Vliet noted. “All of the kids are harnessed and it is always fun to see their faces when they enjoy it. It is always the station where the kids seem to have the most fun.”
Nick Williamson, of Conshohocken, Pa., said shortly after he was done repelling, “I wanted to go higher!”
The program provides 30 children a real taste of a career in the firefighting service as they experience “a day in the life” of a firefighter, including riding in fire department apparatus and stretching hose lines.
There was also a search-and-rescue simulation, where the team of “firefighters” used force to enter a home to rescue an occupant.
Caleb Stukes, 10, of Maryland, was on vacation with his family in Ocean City, and was happy to be part of the camp.
“The fact that we get to do new things that I have never done before is what I like the best,” he said minutes before gearing up to repel.
The program, overseen by Fire Chief James Smith, began in 2010 with the help of Deputy Chief Charles Bowman and has become one of the most sought-after summer camps in the region, according to the fire department.
All of the camp instructors are New Jersey Division of Fire Safety certified firefighters and members of IAFF Local 4032.
Many of the camp instructors volunteer their off-duty time to help make the camp an enjoyable, educational and successful experience for the participants.
“There have been a number of firefighters who have volunteered three full days to make sure everything runs smoothly,” Deputy Fire Chief Bernie Walker said. “Ocean City is an amazing place, and this camp would not be possible without all of the volunteers.”
