Game Night Brings Fire Crews to SHI Stadium

— September 3 — On Thursday nite, as Rutgers began its 2026 football season against the University of Massachusetts, fire and emergency personnel stood on standby at SHI Stadium.

When Rutgers and UMass played in front of a sizable crowd, Engine 11 of the New Brunswick Fire Department was deployed to the stadium to provide fire and emergency protection.

There was no first-arriving fire department or mutual-aid fire response to report because this was a standby assignment rather than an emergency. As part of the event's scheduled public safety coverage, Engine 11 was stationed at the stadium.

The matchup drew 42,454 fans to SHI Stadium. UMass ultimately defeated Rutgers, 37-21, after taking control of the game with 30 straight points following an early Rutgers touchdown.

For the fire service, assignments at large sporting events provide an important layer of protection for spectators, players, staff and stadium personnel. Crews can remain ready to handle a fire, medical emergency or other incident while the normal game-day operation continues.

SHI Stadium is located in Piscataway, New Jersey, although the standby crew came from neighboring New Brunswick. Rutgers University operates its main campus across New Brunswick and Piscataway, making cooperation between the university and surrounding emergency-service agencies an important part of event operations.

The September 3 game was the sixth meeting between Rutgers and UMass. Rutgers entered the game with a 3-2 advantage in the previous five meetings.