By Jill Sperling

Eight-year-old Kamloops girl takes over as fire chief for a day

Nov 13, 2018 | 3:01 PM

KAMLOOPS — A local third grade student got to skip school and become Fire Chief for a Day on Tuesday (Nov. 13). 

Eight-year-old Bryanna Eckhart earned the title through a contest at her school. 

Bryanna suited up and tagged along with local firefighters, touring the Kamloops Fire Rescue stations and checking out the training centre. 

She was all smiles as she took over the duties of fire chief, supervising as firefighters simulated various tasks, such as using the Jaws of Life to access a patient. 

“If someone was hurt in the car then they could put a stretcher right beside the car and take the person out and put them on the stretcher easily,” Bryanna explained after watching the demonstration. 

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Bryanna may have been named chief, but her twin sister Kaelyn also received all the perks of the position.

“It’s been very exciting,” said the girls’ mother, Samantha Eckhart. “They’ve been counting down since they found out last week. They were very excited this morning and couldn’t wait to get to school and get picked up by the truck.”

The girls arrived at Station One in style, with lights and sirens. 

“It’s kind of like riding in a normal car, but much bigger,” Bryanna said of the ride in the fire truck. 

The twins even got to meet the real fire chief, who gladly handed over the reigns for the day. 

In addition to making the day of a lucky child, the Fire Chief for a Day Program is an educational tool. 

“First of all it’s to encourage fire safety,” said KFR’s Life Safety Educator Lyle Weninger. “So, the kids get excited, they get involved, they have to go home and do a little bit of fire inspection around their home to qualify for the contest, so it encourages fire safety, and then it’s a great day for the person that gets to win as well, they get a full day to experience the life of a firefighter and a fire chief.”

With so much excitement, Bryanna was unable to pick a favourite moment from the day, but it certainly was a day she won’t soon forget.