Monday, April 24, 2017
The Springfield Fire Department welcomed a brand new engine to the Mason Square Fire Station fleet today. Engine 8 was named “Hawkeye” by 5th grade students at the nearby Homer Street Elementary School, in recognition of their mascot – the “Homer Street Hawks”. Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant and Principal Catherine Roberts held a ceremony to name and bless the truck. Also in attendance was Chief of Staff Denise Jordan, school officials and Springfield firefighters.
The students had participated in a contest to help with the naming by drawing pictures of Hawkeye. The winning photos were drawn by Eylssa Roman and Giovanna Gray, who were presented with Fire Department gift bags by Commissioner Conant. Reverend Gary Daly then blessed the apparatus with holy water and led a prayer for the truck and the firefighters who will serve on it.
The 2017 Pierce Velocity PUC pumper truck cost $671,000, weighs 53,800 lbs and is 33 feet long and 10 feet tall. It replaces a 20-year-old truck.
