Ann Arbor police and fire host Blaze and Blue camp to introduce teenage girls to first-responder careers

Moderator opened the segment by saying the time has come to bend gender norms and introduced Katie, a special assignment/community engagement officer with the Ann Arbor Police Department, and Tracy McCoy, a firefighter with the Ann Arbor Fire Department, to discuss the Blaze and Blue camp.

The camp, now in its fourth year, pairs two days of firefighter-led activities with two days of police-led programming to give teenage girls a practical introduction to first-responder careers, the guests said. "We kinda collab to give them a full first responder experience," Tracy McCoy said, describing how the program began when a female firefighter at another department shared the idea and local departments adapted it.

Organizers said the police portion focuses on traffic-safety education and basic policing demonstrations. Katie described sessions on distracted and drunk driving, where participants try "drunk goggles" and are walked through standard field sobriety tests and a mock booking sequence, including a look at lockup and mugshot procedures. "They actually get to wear the drunk goggles," Katie said, adding that the girls "enjoyed it last year." Fire-department stations include a controlled fire-attack demo at the Wheeler Center, hose handling, repelling and bucket-truck rides, CPR and basic first aid (all firefighters described as at least EMT-certified), and station tours that show a day in the life of firefighters.

Both guests emphasized the program said representation matters: seeing women in uniform can help teens picture themselves in those roles. "It's so nice to be able to see someone that you can relate to," Tracy McCoy said, adding that camaraderie and shared experience during the camp help participants form lasting connections.

The departments also discussed career pathways: Katie noted that policing offers many specialty roles beyond patrolbicycle officer, evidence technician, field training officer, motorcycle officer and community engagementand that many local high-school students can earn credits applicable to academy requirements while still in school. Tracy outlined fire-department career ladders and supportive roles including fire marshal, inspections, logistics, training and EMS coordination. Both guests described the physical training components typical of academies: the fire academy uses daily physical training and a national fitness standard; police recruits take pretests and regular LPT (physical) training in the academy, though Ann Arbor officers do not have a recurring physical test after hiring, so maintaining fitness becomes an individual responsibility.

Practical details: organizers said the camp is free, prioritizes Ann Arbor residents, caps enrollment at 15 to keep stations engaging, and opens registration on March 17; if resident slots do not fill, they will open remaining spots more widely. Katie said social-media promotion left some spots unfilled in prior years and encouraged broader outreach to reach families who might not see department posts.

Moderators and guests pitched the camp as an opportunity to build skills and confidence even for teens who do not ultimately choose a first-responder career. "I hope we kinda teach the girls to be, like, kinda heroes in whatever career path they pick," Tracy McCoy said. The segment closed with a reminder to visit a2gov.org/ctn and youtube.com/ctnanarbor for more information and video content about the program.

The departments did not provide a precise program date beyond the registration-opening day, and no fees or formal selection criteria beyond the residency preference and age range were specified on the program during the interview.

For registration and video resources, organizers directed viewers to a2gov.org/ctn and youtube.com/ctnanarbor.