Dining Services yesterday hosted its eighth annual Station House Chili Fest, inviting firefighters and policemen and women from Medford and Somerville to join Tufts students in Carmichael Dining Hall for a hearty lunch of chili, burgers and other spicy dishes.
The Chili Fest was originally conceived as a way to thank and honor the community's firefighters in the wake of 9/11, Carmichael Dining Manager Dave Kelley said. Since its inception, the event has grown to incorporate local police as well.
"We really appreciate Tufts doing this for us," Medford Fire Department Chief Steve Howe, who attended the event, told the Daily.
Firefighters used the visit to campus to educate students about fire safety. A fire safety display included tips, kitchen safety pamphlets and even the actual results of unsafe equipment use, including a melted boom box.
Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) officers were also present, handing out foam police cars, flashlights and candy.
Kelley said the event was a way to give back to these service people.
"You have these guys here who are dependable and sacrificing for our safety. It's all about them," Kelley said.
The event connected Tufts students to officers and firefighters, sophomore Belle Haggett said. "It's really important to reach out to that community — make figures of authority friendly, not scary," she said.
At the event, students chose between seven different types of chili, including this year's new recipe, Santa Fe Chicken. Also available were such fire−themed dishes as the Station House pizza and the Felony & Smokin' Fries.
Howe and fellow firefighter Jim Flynn preferred the steak tip chili, which they both described as "excellent."
Haggett and freshman Anna Graham opted to mix types of chili. "It's delicious. Definitely worth trying a whole bunch," Haggett, who chose her concoction based on a fireman's suggestion, said.
Before the event, Kelley said he expected Carmichael would serve between 120 and 140 service people throughout the day, in addition to the student population.
Howe said firefighters rotated shifts on duty and at Carmichael in order to remain prepared for an emergency while their colleagues attended the event.
