Picnic honors junior firefighters

Three elementary school students became unofficial members of the Glendale Fire Department at Friday’s Junior Fire picnic at Verdugo Park.

The Fire Department hosted its annual picnic as a celebration for Glendale Unified fifth-graders who spent the last school year learning about fire safety.

To honor the students, the Fire Department put on several games and cooked up meals at Verdugo Park. Before the picnic, students were asked to submit essays about fire safety for a chance to win prizes and earn honorary Fire Department titles.

Fremont Elementary student Samantha Gould earned the title of junior fire chief. Armenian Sisters Academy student Talar Galoustian was unofficially named assistant junior fire chief, and John Muir Elementary student Maxine Ypil gained the title of deputy junior fire chief.