NEWS PHOTO COLLIN GALLANT Fire chief for the day Sophie Kerr, aged 11, is shown the cab of the Medicine Hat Fire Service's hazardous materials truck by fire prevention officer Curtis Sjodin on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018. The St. Louis School student toured the No. 2 station on Trans-Canada Way, was lifted 110 feet in a ladder truck, and won a pizza party for her Grade 6 classmates.
Medicine Hat News
Pets for the firehalls and a raise for her staff were two orders of business outlined by 11-year-old Sophie Kerr during her term as Fire Chief for the day this week.
The Grade 6 student from St. Louis School was randomly selected for the honour at the conclusion to annual fire prevention week activities last month in schools throughout Medicine Hat.
On Tuesday, she toured Fire Station No. 2 on Trans-Canada Way, was lifted 110-feet up in a bucket, and was delivered back to school via a fire truck for a pizza party with her classmates.
“I loved sliding down the pole and the maze was pretty cool,” said Kerr following an exercise in the service’s confined spaces training room.
She was also fitted into firefighting gear, harnesses and jumped behind the wheel of the services hazardous waste response unit.
Kerr’s name was drawn from ballots sent home with students at all elementary schools last month.
Children who completed some safety-minded homework with their parents, such as checking smoke alarm batteries, discussing kitchen safety and planning escape routes were eligible.
Fire prevention officer Curtis Sjodin said the program is always well received, and seeing fire trucks and equipment is always exciting for youngsters.
As for taking over from Chief Brian Stauth one day, Kerr already has several other career paths in mind. They currently include becoming an anesthesiologist, radiologist or nanotechnology engineer.
Note: This story has been updated to correct that Sophie Kerr is a student at St. Louis School, not Crestwood Elementary School. The News apologizes for the error.
