Portland Firefighters Stephanie Adams, Irene Concepcion, Lisa Knight, Christine Pezzulo, and Elizabeth Thompson were honored over the lunch hour today at the 2011 Women’s History Month Award Ceremony.

From left to right:

Firefighters Irene Concepcion, Lisa Knight, Christine Pezzulo, Elizabeth Thompson, & Stephanie Adams

These five firefighters were nominated by Portland Fire & Rescue’s Emergency Operations Chief Scott Fisher as “exception women of 2011” for developing and implementing an annual three-day firefighter camp for young women ages 16 to 19. 

Fire Camp 2010 Participants and Counselors

Stephanie, Irene, Lisa, Christine, and Elizabeth make up the Fire Camp’s Board of Directors, and have been responsible for the past two years for working tirelessly to coordinate meaningful opportunities for young women to try firefighting through hands-on training alongside women firefighters from the Portland metro area.

"Our mission with Fire Camp is to encourage strong young women to seriously consider fire service as a career option by building confidence, encouraging teamwork, and eliminating stereotypes,” Firefighter Lisa Knight noted. “Firefighting is a challenging but rewarding career. We want the young women who attend the camp to go back to their homes and communities enthusiastic about this career possibility and let their community know what they’ve learned and how their experience can make us all stronger as a community.”

Photos of the Fire Camp Board of Directors, and other women nominated for this year’s Women’s History Month Local Woman Campaign Award, will be added to a "collage of remarkable women."

The collage is displayed in the Portland Building located at

1221 Southwest 4th Avenue, Portland, OR 97204

Portland Fire & Rescue congratulates and commends Firefighters Stephanie Adams, Irene Concepcion, Lisa Knight, Christine Pezzulo, and Elizabeth Thompson for leading with a purpose and inspiring, empowering, and building confidence in young women interested in the fire service.

Learn more about Portland Fire & Rescue’s Fire Camp at http://www.portlandonline.com/fire/firecamp.

   Portland Fire & Rescue 

   We Respond: Always Ready, Always There

   March 30, 2011

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