When Olivia Pavlich first climbed a 100-foot fire ladder in 2023, she had to conquer a fear of heights. Today, she is helping a new generation of young women face their own fears as a probationary firefighter with the Goodyear Fire Department and a mentor at the city’s annual Camp F.I.R.E.S.
The five-day camp for Females in Responding Emergency Services has evolved from a small event of eight participants to a full house of nearly 30 high school girls. Run by the Goodyear Fire Department, the program introduces young women to careers in emergency services while using firefighting drills to forge lifelong confidence, resilience, and teamwork.
For Pavlich, who just hit her six-month milestone on probation, the camp was a turning point. Growing up around the fire service culture through her father, a Goodyear firefighter, she loved the team dynamics of sports but found her true calling at Camp F.I.R.E.S.
