Next month, Girl Scouts from across the region will have the opportunity to train alongside experts from Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) and other local first responders to learn how to operate emergency radios, process evidence, triage injuries, and even fly drones.
It’s all part of Camp Operation: REACT, a collaboration between Chatham County, the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia (GSHG) and Memorial Health to give Girl Scouts in seventh through ninth grade a hands-on look at what it means to lead during a crisis.
Scheduled for June 1 -5 at Camp Low in Savannah, the camp will also serve as a kick-off to the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1. Recently, CEMA and GSHG leaders joined an episode of The Chat to talk more about the unique opportunity the camp provides.
“We didn't choose this week by accident. Hurricane season begins June 1st, and we wanted these girls to leave camp knowing that what they've learned matters right now: for their families, their neighbors, and the broader community we serve,” said CEMA Director Dennis Jones.\
The camp will immerse the campers in a different area of emergency response each day of the week-long program.
Day 1 focuses on natural disasters and severe weather response, where campers will learn how storms are tracked, how first responders communicate, how emergency alerts are sent to the public, and how shelters are set up during disasters.
On Day 2, girls will explore firefighting and emergency medical services through hands-on activities like operating fire extinguishers, triaging injuries after an accident, and experiencing what fire academy training is like.
Day 3 centers on emergency preparedness and response, including hurricane preparedness, search-and-rescue operations, teamwork, and communication skills.
Day 4 introduces campers to incident management and law enforcement operations, where they’ll learn how police manage emergency scenes, operate drones, and process evidence during investigations.
The week concludes with a large-scale disaster simulation on Day 5, where campers will put everything they learned into action during an emergency response exercise.
“Operation React is definitely where our young heroes are going to come from,” said Lorena Kirschner, Senior Director of Programming for GSHG. I think the young girls that’ll be able to practice things hands-on, learn from professionals in these fields, and do it in a really fun and exciting way should hopefully spark a lot of interest and grow that next generation of heroes who run towards a fire, not away from one.”
CEMA and Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia officials hope that the week will not only teach the campers practical, real-world skills but also encourage them to explore future careers in emergency management and public safety.
For more information or to register for Camp Operation: REACT visit, www.gshg.org.
The Chat Podcast: Camp Operation: REACT (1 of 3)
The Chat Podcast: Camp Operation: REACT (2 of 3)
The Chat Podcast: Camp Operation: REACT (3 of 3)