Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Dylana Kneeshaw

chief for a day

KSA Grade 4 student spends the day ‘in charge’ of Kamloops Fire Rescue

Oct 11, 2023 | 4:23 PM

KAMLOOPS — One lucky student in Kamloops was given charge of local firefighters Wednesday (Oct. 11) as part of the ‘Fire Chief for a Day’ program.

Kamloops Fire Rescue (KFR) arrived at Kamloops School of the Arts (KSA) Wednesday to give a presentation to students and pick up their ‘new boss’.

Lexy Munroe, a Grade 4 student at KSA, recently won the chance to be fire chief for a day. After getting picked up from school by one of KFR’s trucks, ‘Chief’ Munroe suited up to oversee a practice fire, a car rescue and a tour of Station One.

“I love riding in the fire trucks and seeing the fire and watching them cut apart the car,” Munroe told CFJC’s crew at the training centre.

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During her first day at work, Chief Munroe was also tasked with teaching others how to stay safe. Kamloops Fire Rescue Chief Ken Uzeloc says those safety tips are crucial.

“I can say them (safety reminders) all day long, but when your kids are telling the parents, and hounding their parents about, ‘Did you check the smoke alarm?’ that’s what is going to make a difference.”

It has been several years since the program last took place, but Chief for a Day has been going so well, Uzeloc adds KFR hopes to expand it in the future to include kids throughout the year.

“Not a lot of kids, very few kids get to see what we do and I think it’s pretty exciting.” says KFR’s Life Safety Educator Jeff Pont. “[Lexy] also gets to learn a lot and take that back to her school and other kids and teach them about fire safety and what Kamloops Fire Rescue does.”

And after an exciting look into the job, Kamloops Fire Rescue got rave reviews from its youngest member.

“It was so fun, I’m so happy I got picked.” says Munroe, “And everyone needs to be safe around fire.”