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North Vancouver firefighters surprise students with end-of-school soaking (VIDEOS)

'The kids were going crazy at all the schools and there were lots of thank-yous from the parents'
Elisia Seeber, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Elisia Seeber, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Giggles and squeals were heard at four elementary schools in North Vancouver today as students enjoyed a much-welcomed soaking by fire hoses as they ran out of class to kick off their summer breaks.

Due to British Columbia's heat wave and temperatures hitting 30 and feeling more like 39 with humidity on June 29, the District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services decided to help cool kids down as they celebrated the last day of school.

Conrad Breakey, captain of public safety for DNV fire and rescue services, said it was the first time they’d sent four of their trucks out to schools on a hot summer’s day and it all fell into place at the last minute. They originally planned to send all five trucks but one was occupied at the time. 

He said they organized fire trucks to stop by École Dorothy Lynas, Lynn Valley, Braemar, and Capilano elementary schools.

“We actually had a request from a parent at one school and we figured well, why don't we just do this for all the schools we can,” he said.

He said it was just a quick visit around 12 p.m., but all were grateful for the refreshing surprise.

“We went to the schools and pulled up as close as we could to the fields and grabbed a hydrant and turned on the hoses,” Breakey said.

“When they [the students] came running out of the school for summer, we hosed them down. The kids were going crazy at all the schools and there were lots of thank-yous from the parents.”

Breakey said residents could look forward to cooling down over the summer on weekends and evenings when they run the Hot Summer Nights programs and hose residents down at local parks.

“Watch out for us,” he said.

“We'll help you stay cool.”

Watch the kids get soaked below: