A Grade 3 student at Ocean Grove Elementary got a special field trip earlier this month when she spent the day with Campbell River firefighters.
Scotia Grant was randomly selected to be Fire Chief for a Day on Tuesday, Jan. 7.
“The Fire Chief for a Day program is part of the fire department’s prevention program, and an effective way to connect with community members to raise awareness through educating young children,” says fire chief Thomas Doherty, who handed the reigns over to Scotia for the day.
“It’s also a great opportunity for children to get a firsthand look at daily operations in the fire department and to work side by side with our firefighters.”
During Scotia’s time as Fire Chief for a Day, she was picked up from school in the morning by firefighters in the fire truck and taken to the downtown fire hall. Once at the fire hall she had a tour of the fire station, inspected fire truck safety equipment, participated in training, including going up in the 101-foot tower on the city’s largest fire truck.
In addition to working alongside the firefighters, she also spent time touring and learning about the emergency dispatch centre.
Once she completed her work at the fire station, Chief for a Day Grant had lunch at McDonald’s with Mayor Andy Adams, fire chief Doherty and other firefighters before heading back to school.
“Instead of holding the Fire Chief for a Day event in October during Fire Prevention Week, we spread our fire prevention activities throughout the year to raise awareness,” Doherty says. “In Campbell River, we’re putting more emphasis on fire prevention and public fire and life safety throughout the year and across the city. We’re hoping that will help drive home the message that, for all of us, fire prevention week is a 365-day-a-year initiative.”
The fire department would like to thank Scotia and her family for participating in Fire Chief for a Day, as well as Mary and Jens Rolinski at McDonald’s for sponsoring the program.
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