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Hail junior fire chiefs

Five students from Leo Ussak Elementary School (LUS) got the royal treatment from Fire Chief Mark Wyatt, captains Kyle Lowe and George Aksadjuak, and Lieut. Kelly Kabvitok while serving as junior fire chiefs at the Rankin Inlet Volunteer Fire Department on Oct. 25.

Leo Ussak Elementary School students, from left, Nate Anawak, 9, Gianna Hernandez, 6, Miila Lindell, 5, Laquisha Makkigak, 7, and Alanna Mae Innukshuk, 8, enjoy being junior fire chiefs in Rankin Inlet on Oct. 25. Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

The students – Miila Lindell (kindergarten), Gianna Hernandez (Grade 1), Laquisha Makkigak (Grade 2), Alanna Mae Innukshuk (Grade 3) and Nate Anawak (Grade 4) – earned their status by having their drawings selected from more than 200 entered in the department's Fire Prevention Week drawing contest.

The students were driven to school, picked up and taken home by a fire truck on their special day, as well as being treated to barbecued cheeseburgers at the fire hall.

They also received a framed certificate and a $25 Northern Store gift card for their efforts.

Wyatt said during Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 9-14), department personnel spoke to each class at LUS, from kindergarten to Grade 4, about fire safety and prevention.

He said he was quite pleased to see the drawing contest attract well over 200 entries.

“They all drew different things that they learned from the presentations we did for them on fire safety,” said Wyatt.

“We selected one winning entry from each grade. Most of them didn't know they had won the contest when we showed up at their house in a fire truck to drive them to school on the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 25, so that was a nice surprise for them.”

Wyatt said the day seemed to be a lot of fun for the five students.

He said they had a really good time at the fire hall, and they enjoyed driving in the fire trucks.

“I think they were the envy of almost every other student in the school that day, especially when the fire truck drove up and dropped them all off,” said Wyatt with a chuckle.

“They enjoyed having their prizes presented and all the attention they got from us at the hall.

“It was a good day.”