Chicago firefighters teach local teens life-saving skills at Camp Courage

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago firefighters hosted a camp for teens to teach team building, leadership and other life-saving skills.

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Camp Courage kicked off Monday for the second year in a row.

It's a free three-day camp for youth 13 to 17 years old at Engine 121 on the South Side.

"At this age, this is when we can kind of get them to buy in and get excited about wanting to do our job and realize this isn't just a job. It's a career; it's a lifestyle," Chicago Fire District Chief Betty Ortiz said.

Teens have a chance to learn firefighting and Emergency Medical Services skills using real equipment.

"We teach them different things, engine operations. We teach them how to use our tools," CFD firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician Bernardo Villasenor said. "Teach them EMS, CPR, stopping the bleed, so a lot of life-saving techniques that they'll go home with, and they can help the family if they ever need it."

CFD runs seven different camps across seven different communities from Hegewisch to Rogers Park.

"I think it's awesome. It gives the kids a better perspective of the job and lets them think about their future and think about the future jobs and stuff like that," 15-year-old Boubacar Sidibe said. "People love firefighters; you can't go wrong with being a firefighter."

Ortiz spearheaded the camp. She says they hope to serve around 300 teens this summer.

"They can realize that they can do this; they can save people in their communities," Ortiz said. "They're going to feel confident enough that they'll be able to help instead of standby and do nothing."

On Monday, teens focused on firefighting skills. On Tuesday, teens will learn EMS training then; the campers will graduate on the third final day.

Online registration has closed for this summer.