The Aggie Pack Fire Engine is a blue fire engine present at every home football and basketball game. After touchdowns and Aggie victories the engine blows it's train whistle to be heard throughout the city. The fire engine remains to be a unique and lasting tradition for UC Davis that no other school can match.
In March 2004, the ASUCD Senate voted unanimously to spend $5,000 and purchase a 1973 Firecoach Crown Pumper from UC Davis Fire Department for use by Aggie Pack and the Athletics Department as reported by the Cal Aggie. After the initial $5000 contribution all restorations, repairs and upkeep of the engine has been the responsibility of the athletic department and not that of the students.
Aggie Pack is not an ASUCD Unit, and so a major concern for senators at the time in making this large expenditure for a different organization was to at least have the ASUCD Logo on the side of the firetruck. In response a small ASUCD Logo can be found inside the Aggie Pack Fire Department decal located to the right of the door. It is very hard to see and it may be said that ASUCD's been taken for a ride on this one. Of course, ASUCD theoretically exists to benefit the students, rather than promote itself, so the small size of the ASUCD advertisement may be good, because it detracts less from the Aggie Pride of the truck.
The so-called purchasing fiasco was used by some candidates, including Rob Roy who pledged not to commit wasteful uses of ASUCD funds. On the other hand, how can something that has brought years after years of Aggies so much joy be a waste? Whenever the Engine is around, there's a 987.2% spike in Aggie spirit. As the cheer goes, GO AGS!
For more information on the fire engine click here
Request: a link to the bill that authorized the expenditure, and/or minutes from the relevant Senate meeting.
