ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - St. Louis County first responder agencies partnered up for the annual first responder camp to give kids ages 13–18 the chance to get hands-on experiences with firefighters, police officers and paramedics.

The free camp is funded through grants from organizations like the Berges family foundations and "Operation Engage" to help provide connections and career paths to the youth community.

“I believe talent is distributed equally, but access is sometimes not distributed equally, so I want this camp to have no barriers,” McCrary said.

All week long, the group visits different departments, where they participate in live demonstrations. Tuesday’s featured department was the Fenton Fire District, where firefighters planned out four other stations for kids to experience the job.

One of the most popular stations was the ladder used for extended rescues, which stands at 78 feet tall.

Campers like Peyton Kopp now have another path to consider for a possible career.

“My stepmom's a nurse, my dad was an ex-Marine, (and) my sister's in the army; they kind of all just fell into place,” said Kopp, who is about to graduate. “I never really thought about firefighting like that until I got here.”

The camp will continue with students visiting EMS and paramedics. On Friday, the departments will hold a graduation for all the campers who completed the program. 

McCrary says there are long-term opportunities for youth to get involved in their department with their Explorers program.

For more information about those opportunities, click here.