Whitby’s next Junior Fire Chief is sixth-grader Colin Lepre.
On Thursday, town officials announced him as the winner of this year’s competition.
Lepre, a student at Chris Hadfield Public School, recently graduated from Whitby Fire’s summer camp. Organizers praised him for his “outstanding knowledge of fire safety, active engagement, and willingness to assist his peers.”
“Colin embodies the qualities we seek in a Junior Fire Chief,” said Fire Chief Michael Hickey. “His unwavering commitment to fire safety and his enthusiasm for learning make him an outstanding candidate for this position. We are excited to welcome him to our team for the upcoming year.”
“Being selected as the Junior Whitby Fire Chief is a real honour and I look forward to learning alongside the Whitby Fire Department this year,” said Lepre.
On Thursday, he took a ride, via fire truck, to Fire Station #5 and learned some tricks of the trade.
“He began his first day as Junior Fire Chief learning how firefighters extinguish vehicle fires, techniques for auto extrication, and the responsibilities of a Fire Chief,” noted officials. “He also had the unique opportunity to lead a mock emergency scenario and explore various roles within the fire service.”
He will help represent the service at a number of community events over the next year.