The firefighting crew at Central Whidbey Fire and Rescue grew by three last week — temporarily, at least.

The winners of the annual Fire Safety Week drawing contest — fourth-grader Mimi Rose, second-grader Mason Peabody and kindergartener David Somes — got a VIP ride from Coupeville Elementary School to the station on a fire truck, where they were given a tour of the station and treated to a lunch of pizza, fruit and ice cream.

The young artists’ drawings were framed and presented to them by Lt. Jen Porter. They will be hung in the school’s hall near the office, along with the winning works from previous years.

“We’ve been doing this contest since 2007 to commemorate Fire Safety Week,” said Porter. “This year’s theme was ‘Be Rabbit Ready – Know Two Ways Out.’”

The fire truck dwarfed the children, who were impressed, but not daunted by its size, clambering up into the back seat and strapping themselves in in record time. School principal David Ebersole, who served as the students’ escort,  got to ride along as well, but in the front seat.

Firefighters choose three winners each year. This was the second win for Mimi Rose, whose fire safety drawing was also selected as a winner in 2010.