Of Glendale’s 166 firefighters, 2 are women. This camp aims to change that.

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Highland Park resident Amanda Miranda, 14, learns how to control a hose from Ambulance Operator Bao-An Nguyen at the first Glendale Fire Dept. Girls Camp, at Station 21 in Glendale on Saturday, Nov,. 3, 2018. Participants, eight girls and one boy, ranged in age from 10 to 18 and participated in stations set up like auto extrication, aerial ladder climb, search and rescue, controlling a water hose, and manipulating a chainsaw. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale Fire Dept. firefighter paramedic Kodie Dean, left, helps Emily Alvarez, 14 of La Crescenta, put on a 60-lb. turnout and breathing apparatus at the first Glendale Fire Dept. Girls Camp, at Station 21 in Glendale on Saturday, Nov,. 3, 2018. Participants, eight girls and one boy, ranged in age from 10 to 18 and participated in stations set up like auto extrication, aerial ladder climb, search and rescue, controlling a water hose, and manipulating a chainsaw. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Paloma Alvarado, 16 of Sunland, looks up as she climbs a truck ladder up to the third floor of Station 21, at the first Glendale Fire Dept. Girls Camp in Glendale on Saturday, Nov,. 3, 2018. Participants, eight girls and one boy, ranged in age from 10 to 18 and participated in stations set up like auto extrication, aerial ladder climb, search and rescue, controlling a water hose, and manipulating a chainsaw. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Danica Dinh, 10 of Pasadena, uses the Jaws of Life to cut a car door during the first Glendale Fire Dept. Girls Camp, at Station 21 in Glendale on Saturday, Nov,. 3, 2018. Participants, eight girls and one boy, ranged in age from 10 to 18 and participated in stations set up like auto extrication, aerial ladder climb, search and rescue, controlling a water hose, and manipulating a chainsaw. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale Fire Dept. firefighter Nathan Moroshan, right, keeps a close eye as 15-year old Brianna Serna, of Glendale, handles a chainsaw at the first Glendale Fire Dept. Girls Camp, at Station 21 in Glendale on Saturday, Nov,. 3, 2018. Participants, eight girls and one boy, ranged in age from 10 to 18 and participated in stations set up like auto extrication, aerial ladder climb, search and rescue, controlling a water hose, and manipulating a chainsaw. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale Fire Dept. personnel stands with nine participants of the first Glendale Fire Dept. Girls Camp, at Station 21 in Glendale on Saturday, Nov,. 3, 2018. Participants, eight girls and one boy, ranged in age from 10 to 18 and participated in stations set up like auto extrication, aerial ladder climb, search and rescue, controlling a water hose, and manipulating a chainsaw. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Jackson Pfau, 14 of Chatsworth, reaches the third floor of Station 21 at the first Glendale Fire Dept. Girls Camp, in Glendale on Saturday, Nov,. 3, 2018. Participants, eight girls and one boy, ranged in age from 10 to 18 and participated in stations set up like auto extrication, aerial ladder climb, search and rescue, controlling a water hose, and manipulating a chainsaw. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale Fire Dept. firefighter paramedic Sarah Craig, center rear, helps 10-year old Danica Dinh, with a 51-lb. frame, put on a full 60-lb. turnout with breathing apparatus the first Glendale Fire Dept. Girls Camp, at Station 21 in Glendale on Saturday, Nov,. 3, 2018. Participants, eight girls and one boy, ranged in age from 10 to 18 and participated in stations set up like auto extrication, aerial ladder climb, search and rescue, controlling a water hose, and manipulating a chainsaw. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale Fire Dept. engineer Kevin Stockton, left, and Ambulance Operator Bao-An Nguyen left, help Jordan Lo, 18 of Glendale, guide the water stream to a specific location during the first Glendale Fire Dept. Girls Camp, at Station 21 in Glendale on Saturday, Nov,. 3, 2018. Participants, eight girls and one boy, ranged in age from 10 to 18 and participated in stations set up like auto extrication, aerial ladder climb, search and rescue, controlling a water hose, and manipulating a chainsaw. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Verdugo Fire Academy recruits, Melissa Reed, from left, Sonja Koebnick, Krista Fonseca and class battalion chief Victor Gonzales, spoke to participants at the first Glendale Fire Dept. Girls Camp, at Station 21 in Glendale on Saturday, Nov,. 3, 2018. Participants, eight girls and one boy, ranged in age from 10 to 18 and participated in stations set up like auto extrication, aerial ladder climb, search and rescue, controlling a water hose, and manipulating a chainsaw. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

By Lila Seidman

Nov. 6, 2018 3:45 PM PT

Eight young women participated in Glendale Fire Department’s inaugural daylong camp geared toward inspiring more female representation in firefighting. The number of participants is quadruple the number of women firefighters currently employed by the city.

“We recognize the value of women in the fire service and want to spread that message to the women who have an interest in the fire service and to those who may have never thought of it as an option for them, it absolutely is,” said Anita Shandi, a spokeswoman for the fire department.

Of the 166 firefighters in Glendale, two are women.

Girls Fire Camp held Saturday at Fire Station #21 gave participants of any gender the opportunity to get a glimpse into what firefighting as a profession is like and, ideally, consider it as a viable career path.

Ranging from 10 and 18 years old, the nine attendees — including one boy — donned 60-pound gear, wielded chainsaws, worked out, learned the basics of search and rescue, and, in a particularly nerve-racking test for anyone who might be afraid of heights, scaled a tall ladder.

While intimidating, the height “did not deter them from reaching to the top,” Shandi said.

Bao-An Nguyen, one of the fire department’s four female ambulance operators, was on hand as one of the camp’s instructors.

At one point, she helped Highland Park resident Amanda Miranda, 14, learn how to control one of the department’s powerful water hoses.

Set to return next year, the camp is part of the fire department’s concerted effort to close what Shandi calls a gender gap in choosing firefighting as a career.

The department “is actively challenging gender stereotypes to encourage women to see the fire service as a career option,” said Shandi, who added that fire officials are are open to holding hands-on events like the camp more often if interest grows.

In addition to the camp, the department is doing outreach in schools and at community events geared toward bringing in more women, Shandi said.

It’s not just a Glendale phenomenon, Shandi pointed out. There are 1.16 million firefighters in the United States, but only 7% are women, according to the National Fire Protection Assn.

lila.seidman@latimes.com

Twitter: @lila_seidman