BLAZE Fire Camp for Young Women: Home Page

Karen Kerr was born and raised in New York City. After receiving her BA from Brown University, she spent a couple of years teaching skiing and racing to children in Snowmass, Colorado. She then moved to San Francisco, a dream since age thirteen. She worked in health care research and went to graduate school for a Master's in Women's Studies. She has been a firefighter in the San Francisco Fire Department since 1995. She enjoyed three years on Engine 21, working at a station with many women firefighters, and is now the EMT on Engine 7 in the Mission district community where she lives. Karen has always been interested in social issues and is very involved within the department in organizing and advocating for women firefighters and with the community as an associate public information officer. An avid outdoor enthusiast and traveler, Karen is happy spending her days outside, especially hiking and backpacking and traveling to visit friends and new places. To relax, she likes to spend time doing creative projects and cooking meals for friends and family in her Victorian apartment with her two cats milling around.

Camp Blaze Founding Directors
Lieutenant Amy Bannister Seattle Fire Department	Amy Bannister was born and raised in the state of Washington. She decided to become a firefighter when she was sixteen. Before pursuing this goal however, she received a BA in English Literature from the University of Michigan where she had a noteworthy career in track and field. She then returned to Seattle to join the fire department in 1996. Amy was promoted to Lieutenant in October of 2001 and currently works on an engine company in the Rainier Valley of Seattle. Amy enjoys soccer, running, reading, and cooking.
Battalion Chief Marlene Heisey California Department of Forestry and Fire	Marlene Heisey was born in Southern California in the town of Arcadia. She has lived in California her whole life, and currently resides in the small town of Forest Ranch. She has worked for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection since 1982 and is currently a Battalion Chief. She went to school in Chico. Marlene has degrees in physical education and mathematics--originally she was going to be a teacher, but found the fire service and fell in love with it. She plays on several recreational sport teams, softball and volleyball being her favorites. In her free time, you'll find her hanging out by a creek reading a book.
Firefighter Deborah Carlson San Diego Fire and Life Safety	Deborah Carlson began her career with the San Diego Fire Department in 1984. She attended college in Ashland, Oregon, majoring in physical education and journalism. After college she spent five years in Alaska working on the Alaska pipeline and on a commercial salmon troller. She lived in a tent in the woods near Juneau with friends for nine months while building a cabin, which has since become a Bed and Breakfast. Deborah lives in the country outside of San Diego with her adored animals. She loves kayaking, ocean fishing, and is the official Camp Blaze cook.
Firefighter Sherri Hauch Fort Worth Fire Department	Sherri has been a firefighter with the Fort Worth Fire Department since 1997. She currently holds the rank of Engineer, as well as serving as a Hazardous Materials Technician and a Technical Rescue Specialist. Sherri also works as a recruiter and volunteers as a peer counselor for her department. She was raised in Arlington Texas and still lives there today. She attended the University of Texas at Arlington and has a background in biology. Sherri's interests include the outdoors, camping, golf and traveling. She has almost always had an interest in firefighting and feels fortunate to have made it her career.
Lieutenant Suzy Rueblin Boulder Fire Department	Suzy Reublin has been with the Boulder Fire Department since 1991 and is currently a Lieutenant. She holds a B.S. and a K-12 teaching certificate in health and adaptive physical education, a degree in criminal justice, and a degree in fire science. Suzy grew up in Boulder with her folks and three sisters (one sister is also a fire Lieutenant), and has twin, two-year old girls. She plays volleyball, skis, hikes, bikes, reads and has a true passion for animals. Most of all, Suzy can't wait for skit night at camp.
Firefighter Alissa Van Nort San Francisco Fire Department	Alissa Van Nort began her career with the San Francisco Fire Department in 1997. Before the fire service, Alissa worked as a carpenter, a ropes course instructor, and as a workshop educator. Her undergraduate degree is from Wesleyan University in Connecticut, continued with master's level work in Organizational Development. For relaxation and nourishment, she reads, swims, runs, cooks, and travels to visit friends and family. Working on Blaze is an honor and a dynamic challenge.
Firefighter/Paramedic Patricia White San Diego Fire and Life Safety	Patricia was born in San Diego, California and has been a firefighter since 1996. Pat is a Paramedic and was promoted to Engineer in February of 2004. Before becoming a firefighter she worked as a registered nurse for eleven years in the local hospital and surgery center. Patricia has her A.S. degree in Fire Science and an A.S. in Nursing. She lives in Carlsbad, California and has two boys. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her family and friends.
Firefighter Karen Kerr San Francisco Fire Department	Karen Kerr was born and raised in New York City. After receiving her BA from Brown University, she spent a couple of years teaching skiing and racing to children in Snowmass, Colorado. She then moved to San Francisco, a dream since age thirteen. She worked in health care research and went to graduate school for a Master's in Women's Studies. She has been a firefighter in the San Francisco Fire Department since 1995. She enjoyed three years on Engine 21, working at a station with many women firefighters, and is now the EMT on Engine 7 in the Mission district community where she lives. Karen has always been interested in social issues and is very involved within the department in organizing and advocating for women firefighters and with the community as an associate public information officer. An avid outdoor enthusiast and traveler, Karen is happy spending her days outside, especially hiking and backpacking and traveling to visit friends and new places. To relax, she likes to spend time doing creative projects and cooking meals for friends and family in her Victorian apartment with her two cats milling around.

Camp Blaze is supported by the following fire service agencies:

Camp Blaze Founding Directors