Providence, RI probie class

[nfd2004]

I was in Providence, R.I. the other day. The Providence Fire Dept is an Excellent department. They are very active and do see their share of work. Some huge 3 1/2 story frames and Queen Anns line some of those very crowded streets. It's been a favorite dept of mine for a long time.

Just some interesting facts that I would like to pass along. They are currently training a probie class of 55 new members. That is actually quite a lot for that city. Usually it's maybe 20 or 30. I guess it's about a 500 member department. They are still short another 50, so until the first group completes their training that puts them short by roughly 20 %.

  The probie training last six months. They are taught everything from EMT to Engine and Ladder truck operator. When they finish that probie school, they are EMTs and may be required to drive any piece of apparatus within the dept. In the beginning they must complete Firefighter I and a live burn. Once that happens, they are assigned to ride one night a week throughout the various companies. Their current drill tower and burn building has been declared UNSAFE for use, so they have been making the trip to the City of Boston to use theirs. Another interesting fact is that for the six month probie school, the members are only paid minimum wage. Some with families have to apply for food stamps, and it's been like that for as long as anybody can remember.

  In addition, the Boston Fire Dept has donated a rearmount ladder truck to the City of Providence for use in training. Being in Providence and seeing a Boston Ladder truck with the words "Boston Fire Department" on it is pretty unusual. I believe that truck is an E-One (rearmount), and all Providence Ladder trucks are similiar. I get the impression that money is pretty tight in Providence. No money to fix their training tower/burn building. No new rigs in the last few years that I've seen. Not even new police cars.

  A few members have been detailed to assist the Training Division while this training is going on. One member from their Engine 3 with 13 years on told me "it's been crazy, we're doing about 5,000 runs a year". Engine 3 is out of Fire Headquarters in downtown Providence, and I believe they are one of the busiest in the city and maybe New England.

 

 

[fdny1075k]

Great post, Bill. I never knew Providence FD was in such dire straits, financially speaking. Ironically, back in the late '70s through the early '90s, while many fire department in New England, like Boston, Bridgeport, CT, New Haven, CT, etc. were closing down companies due to budget cuts, Providence only lost one company, Engine 1, which was converted into a Special Hazards, or Heavy Rescue company. I believe the department actually gained units, with the additions of several ambulances, known in Rhode Island as "Rescues".

Providence Fire Department is the 2nd largest department in New England after Boston. The PFD is also the main ALS ambulance provider for the city, running with 6 ALS Rescue Ambulances 24/7. The PFD operates with 14 Engines, 8 Ladders, 1 Special Hazards(Heavy Rescue), 6 ALS Rescue Ambulances, 1 Battalion, and 1 Deputy as their frontline fleet. With EMS, the PFD runs around 45,000 calls annually with a heavy number of jobs(Code Red's as they call them there). The PFD protects around 180,000 people living in 18.5 square miles.

As for apparatus, 4 new Engines were purchased from E-One within the last 5 years, but other than that, many of the Engine Companies are running with rigs over 10 years old. As for Ladder Companies, all but 2 are running with rigs over 15 years old. The oldest frontline Engines are 2 1990 E-Ones(E7, E13), and the oldest frontline Ladder is Ladder 6, a 1991 E-One. All the "Rescues", however, are relatively new, probably because of the amount of runs they do.

Providence is a very active, interesting, and overall excellent department in a unique and very historic New England city. They do it all, from high-rises, to 3-deckers, to warehouse jobs, to pins, to medicals. I'm sure nfd2004(Willy "D") can tell you from his buffing trips back in the day.

 

[nfd2004]

Great post, Bill. I never knew Providence FD was in such dire straits, financially speaking. Ironically, back in the late '70s through the early '90s, while many fire department in New England, like Boston, Bridgeport, CT, New Haven, CT, etc. were closing down companies due to budget cuts, Providence only lost one company, Engine 1, which was converted into a Special Hazards, or Heavy Rescue company. I believe the department actually gained units, with the additions of several ambulances, known in Rhode Island as "Rescues".

Providence Fire Department is the 2nd largest department in New England after Boston. The PFD is also the main ALS ambulance provider for the city, running with 6 ALS Rescue Ambulances 24/7. The PFD operates with 14 Engines, 8 Ladders, 1 Special Hazards(Heavy Rescue), 6 ALS Rescue Ambulances, 1 Battalion, and 1 Deputy as their frontline fleet. With EMS, the PFD runs around 45,000 calls annually with a heavy number of jobs(Code Red's as they call them there). The PFD protects around 180,000 people living in 18.5 square miles.

As for apparatus, 4 new Engines were purchased from E-One within the last 5 years, but other than that, many of the Engine Companies are running with rigs over 10 years old. As for Ladder Companies, all but 2 are running with rigs over 15 years old. The oldest frontline Engines are 2 1990 E-Ones(E7, E13), and the oldest frontline Ladder is Ladder 6, a 1991 E-One. All the "Rescues", however, are relatively new, probably because of the amount of runs they do.

Providence is a very active, interesting, and overall excellent department in a unique and very historic New England city. They do it all, from high-rises, to 3-deckers, to warehouse jobs, to pins, to medicals. I'm sure nfd2004(Willy "D") can tell you from his buffing trips back in the day.

  You are right about Providence not loosing any companies, except for Engine 1 which they ran as a two piece Engine/Rescue Co. Today, there is no Engine 1 but they still run the Heavy Rescue which they call "Special Hazards 1". The ambulances that they use are called Rescues. And as you said, they run six of those rescues (ambulances). Over the years you are correct. back in the mid 70s they ran three rescues, today it's six.

  They did recently loose Battalion 2. Today there is only one deputy chief (Division 1) and one battalion chief (Battalion 3) on duty per shift. as for the radio system, their main dispatch channel used to be on 154.37 mhz (same as Brooklyn). I would listen to them at my home some 50 miles away, loud and clear.
Over the last two years, Providence Fire (and Police) has gone to a digital system. Even with a digital scanner its hard to pick them up right in the city. plus the frequencies are mixed during each transmission. Makes it really tough for a buff.

  My friends at the Bronx McDonalds on Fordham Rd/Southern Blvd will be disappointed, but when I'm in Providence I sit inside a Burger King having a few Whoppers. I found it's a good place to be. The digital radio picks up pretty good there and Engine 3, Ladder 1, Special Hazards 1, and Division 1 aren't too far away. Besides its pretty easy to get around from there.

  For those who might be interested, there is a web site (if it's still active - it wasn't doing too well) called www.providencecitywide.com . In the General Forum Section, I wrote a few stories about Providence FD. It's called "My Introduction to Providence". 

 

[Bxboro]

If I'm not mistaken, I seem to remember Special Hazards (R Model Mack Heavy Rescue) existing when Engine Co. 1 (who ran a Maxim) was still in service in their old house downtown. In fact, I think they had to park behind the Engine and both companies responded together to all jobs (code reds) in the city. I could be wrong. Also in the house was Ladder 1 (at one time it was a former FDNY rig I think) and Engine Co. 3 who ran with a "Squirt". This was back in the early 1980's. And yes.......plenty of work !!!! Been to many, many jobs in Providence. E 10/ L 5 (tiller back then) on Broad St. and E 8 / TL 2 on Messer St. seemed to do a lot of work. Also, my good friend "Willy D" was hanging out at burger joints back then too !! Some things never change...........

 

[nfd2004]

If I'm not mistaken, I seem to remember Special Hazards (R Model Mack Heavy Rescue) existing when Engine Co. 1 (who ran a Maxim) was still in service in their old house downtown. In fact, I think they had to park behind the Engine and both companies responded together to all jobs (code reds) in the city. I could be wrong. Also in the house was Ladder 1 (at one time it was a former FDNY rig I think) and Engine Co. 3 who ran with a "Squirt". This was back in the early 1980's. And yes.......plenty of work !!!! Been to many, many jobs in Providence. E 10/ L 5 (tiller back then) on Broad St. and E 8 / TL 2 on Messer St. seemed to do a lot of work. Also, my good friend "Willy D" was hanging out at burger joints back then too !! Some things never change...........

  "Bxboro", you are right about Special Hazards being a R Model Mack Heavy Rescue and Engine 1 a Maxim running out of the old headquarters at Lasalle Sq. And yes, Engine 3 was a Squirt and Ladder 1 was a refurbed former FDNY Mack Tower Ladder. In those days, the area between Eng 3/Lad 1, Eng10/Lad 5, and Eng 8/Lad 2 was really burning. Huge wood frames with serious exposure problems.

  "Bxboro", if you remember those rigs, Wow, you are old.

  From the Senior Citizens of NYCFIRE, "welcome aboard".