3-year-old enjoys being Chief-for-a-Day at Clearwater fire station
Clearwater Fire Rescue hosted a little three-year-old boy named Eli Bright, who is in town from Kentucky.
Clearwater Fire Lt. Steve Salagaras (left to right), driver operator Robert Palisi and Lt. David Yawn help chief-for-a-day Eli Bright, 3, use a fire hose during his visit to Station 45 Friday morning 6/29/2018. [Jim Damaske | Times]
By
Jim Damaske, Tampa Bay Times
Published Jun. 30, 2018
Eli Bright has spinal muscular atrophy and loves firefighters and engines. He got a tour of the station got to sit in a ladder truck, met their arson dog, met the Mayor of Clearwater and had lunch with the crew. He then took a ride on Ladder 45 to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, where he expereinced a tour and met Winter the dolphin.
Eli Bright, 3, gets a hug from the Mayor of Clearwater George Cretekos after he was named chief-for-the-day Friday morning 6/29/2018 at Station 45 as his sister Ava Bright, 6, mom Natalie Wheatley and Clearwater Fire Chief Scott Ehlers. [Jim Damaske | Times]
Eli Bright, 3, peers over the wheel of Clearwater Fire Rescue's ladder truck 45 Friday during a visit at Station 45. [Jim Damaske | Times]
Clearwater Fire Lt. Steve Salagaras (left to right), driver operator Robert Palisi and Lt. David Yawn help chief-for-a-day Eli Bright, 3, use a fire hose during his visit to Station 45 Friday morning 6/29/2018. [Jim Damaske | Times]
Clearwater Fire Rescue Driver Operator Robert Palisi (left) and Lt. David Yawn help Eli Bright, 3, train a fire hose at a target Friday morning 6/29/2018 during a visit to Station 45. [Jim Damaske | Times]
Clearwater Fire Rescue Driver Operator Mike Dellavolpe hugs Eli Bright, 3, as he says goodbye after the little boy spent the morning with firefighters. [Jim Damaske | Times]
![Clearwater Fire Lt. Steve Salagaras (left to right), driver operator Robert Palisi and Lt. David Yawn help chief-for-a-day Eli Bright, 3, use a fire hose during his visit to Station 45 Friday morning 6/29/2018. [Jim Damaske | Times]](https://www.tampabay.com/resizer//14FDWDFmX2Jc6Q3UYLkdGAFlr0o=/426x0/smart/filters:format(webP)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/42ZFM3V3ONEBHEELWKO3LXYQ2M.JPG "Clearwater Fire Lt. Steve Salagaras (left to right), driver operator Robert Palisi and Lt. David Yawn help chief-for-a-day Eli Bright, 3, use a fire hose during his visit to Station 45 Friday morning 6/29/2018. [Jim Damaske | Times]")
![Eli Bright, 3, gets a hug from the Mayor of Clearwater George Cretekos after he was named chief-for-the-day Friday morning 6/29/2018 at Station 45 as his sister Ava Bright, 6, mom Natalie Wheatley and Clearwater Fire Chief Scott Ehlers. [Jim Damaske | Times]](https://www.tampabay.com/resizer//8SRgQ0BwZN-qnMTfjmwV9HvgvkA=/620x0/filters:format(webP)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/TGAXVNGCFVCXJPVRQRCUMB2GBQ.JPG "Eli Bright, 3, gets a hug from the Mayor of Clearwater George Cretekos after he was named chief-for-the-day Friday morning 6/29/2018 at Station 45 as his sister Ava Bright, 6, mom Natalie Wheatley and Clearwater Fire Chief Scott Ehlers. [Jim Damaske | Times]")
![Eli Bright, 3, peers over the wheel of Clearwater Fire Rescue's ladder truck 45 Friday during a visit at Station 45. [Jim Damaske | Times]](https://www.tampabay.com/resizer//KircbMPaaUY0SJTVr9Nb7DrdJW4=/620x0/filters:format(webP)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/FC26ZVHJOVGQFDMCLBCURP3TOI.JPG "Eli Bright, 3, peers over the wheel of Clearwater Fire Rescue's ladder truck 45 Friday during a visit at Station 45. [Jim Damaske | Times]")
![Clearwater Fire Lt. Steve Salagaras (left to right), driver operator Robert Palisi and Lt. David Yawn help chief-for-a-day Eli Bright, 3, use a fire hose during his visit to Station 45 Friday morning 6/29/2018. [Jim Damaske | Times]](https://www.tampabay.com/resizer//CDqNh01F4IGa4C2dvF01S8tlT5k=/620x0/filters:format(webP)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/6LTPFLHH7JAVBN5RB3LAV7KB7Q.JPG "Clearwater Fire Lt. Steve Salagaras (left to right), driver operator Robert Palisi and Lt. David Yawn help chief-for-a-day Eli Bright, 3, use a fire hose during his visit to Station 45 Friday morning 6/29/2018. [Jim Damaske | Times]")
![Clearwater Fire Rescue Driver Operator Robert Palisi (left) and Lt. David Yawn help Eli Bright, 3, train a fire hose at a target Friday morning 6/29/2018 during a visit to Station 45. [Jim Damaske | Times]](https://www.tampabay.com/resizer//FGAEmjoJ42fZthH3_ask70ydQAs=/620x0/filters:format(webP)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/D6TP4D2OUJH4HHRMVURDY2SUW4.JPG "Clearwater Fire Rescue Driver Operator Robert Palisi (left) and Lt. David Yawn help Eli Bright, 3, train a fire hose at a target Friday morning 6/29/2018 during a visit to Station 45. [Jim Damaske | Times]")
![Clearwater Fire Rescue Driver Operator Mike Dellavolpe hugs Eli Bright, 3, as he says goodbye after the little boy spent the morning with firefighters. [Jim Damaske | Times]](https://www.tampabay.com/resizer//goWgcSJF4BEU2n127yKHQMQujqg=/620x0/filters:format(webP)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/AOJJFEQVMBEB5JQZJKG2S3FCRI.JPG "Clearwater Fire Rescue Driver Operator Mike Dellavolpe hugs Eli Bright, 3, as he says goodbye after the little boy spent the morning with firefighters. [Jim Damaske | Times]")
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