As Jasper’s new fire chief, Hana Rode’s first order of business was to order Deputy Chief Don Smith to do the chicken dance.
“First do the chicken dance, and then you’re fired!” she told Smith with a mischievous grin, Oct. 30, as she toured the fire hall as part of her duties as fire chief for the day.
And while Smith didn’t oblige Rode’s first order as the town’s new chief, volunteer firefighter Travis Moorehouse did, breaking it down after she insisted on chicken dancing from her recruits.
Rode won the chance to be chief for the day after creating a fire evacuation plan for her family during Fire Prevention Week last month. Her name was drawn from among all of the Jasper Elementary School students who created plans, giving her the opportunity to don the pint-sized chief uniform, and spend the afternoon helping Fire Chief Greg Van Tighem carry out his chiefly duties.
Rode said when she first heard she would get to be chief for the day she was “excited,” jumping up and down in delight.
Along with her tour of the hall, Rode also took home a heaping bag of swag from the fire department, rode in a fire truck, and had lunch with Van Tighem at the Athabasca Hotel—the contest sponsor each year.
Van Tighem said the contest is a great way to get kids interested in fire safety, and said it’s always a pleasure to give up his chief’s hat for one day each year to a worthy successor.
Trevor Nichols
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