Acushnet Fire Department Lit Up for Town’s COVID-19 Victims

When you hear about the more than 600,000 Americans dying from COVID-19, the number is a hard figure to fully grasp. That's roughly 10 Gillette Stadiums full of people. The number is so massive that it's hard to imagine those people as individuals. Each with a family, a life story, a hometown.

Acushnet Lights Up the Fire Department

That's one of the reasons it was nice to see Acushnet's Fire Department recognize the people in their town that lost their battle with COVID since the onset of the pandemic. Drivers passing by the fire department last night may have noticed 16 lights illuminating the fire department.

"Lighting can be dramatic, and it can be a beautiful symbol of a life," said Acushnet Fire Chief Kevin Gallagher.

Why 16 Lights?

“We will be illuminating 16 lights on the lawn of Fire Station #1," Gallagher said. "These lights represent the lives of the 15 known Acushnet COVID victims as well as one light for those whose COVID deaths are not officially documented."

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“This temporary memorial is designed to be a simple, quiet and respectful reminder of the members of our community, all of whom had so much more to give to their families, their friends and neighbors, and their community," he said. "Their light was taken too soon."

How Long Will the Acushnet Fire Station Stay Lit Up?

The memorial was unveiled last night and will remain at the Acushnet Fire Department over the weekend. Gallagher said the lights will remain for the next few days, but he may bring them back towards the end of summer. He asked drivers who see the memorial this weekend to please say a prayer for the people from town who were lost and then encourage people to go get vaccinated.