Providence, R.I is a city about 18 sq miles and a population of about 160,000 people. My first trip to Providence was in 1976. I had no idea of what to expect. Only thing, at my home some 50 miles away I would be able to pick them up on my scanner. At that time they were on 154.37 mhz. The same as Brooklyn, but I had moved too far away to now pick up Brooklyn as I did in the past.
I knew it was Providence coming in because they would announce at 1800 hrs, "this is Station KCB660, the Providence Fire Dept. Operating on an assigned frequency of 154.37 mhz", testing with Engine 1, 2 etc. At the time I found out that Providence had 15 engine Cos, 8 Ladders, and 3 Rescue ambulances (their rescues were actually ambulances). They were really busy. They would also go on the medical calls because they had the ambulances. But it was also always a rubbish fire, car fire, or a street corner pull box. They would get their building fires too. Maybe one or two a day. I found out that a Code Blue was a false alarm, and a Code Red was a Working fire.
I decided to take a trip up there and check the place out. As I came into Providence on I-95, I heard "Engine ** to Fire Alarm, Code Red". I knew it was a Working Fire but had no idea of where it was. So I got off the first exit and along comes a Mack CF Tiller Ladder. I followed it, assuming it was going to the job. The Tiller cab was enclosed with the words "Ladder 5" on the back. I followed them a few blocks and there was the job. A fire on the Second floor of a large 3 1/2 wood frame. The trucks were opening up and the two lines stretched up the inside stairway. It was a Great Quick inside knockdown. "I was sold".
The city was loaded with very large 2 1/2, 3 1/2, and Queen Anne frames. Plenty of large old factories, and apartment buildings. Several engines were Red Mack CFs similiar to FDNY, they had street pull boxes, several very narrow streets lined with closly packed wood frames. After catching that job, and seeing the conditions, "I knew I'd be back". That was the spring of 1976. There's a few more stories to tell since then and as it goes, I'll try to remember a few.
I knew it was Providence coming in because they would announce at 1800 hrs, "this is Station KCB660, the Providence Fire Dept. Operating on an assigned frequency of 154.37 mhz", testing with Engine 1, 2 etc. At the time I found out that Providence had 15 engine Cos, 8 Ladders, and 3 Rescue ambulances (their rescues were actually ambulances). They were really busy. They would also go on the medical calls because they had the ambulances. But it was also always a rubbish fire, car fire, or a street corner pull box. They would get their building fires too. Maybe one or two a day. I found out that a Code Blue was a false alarm, and a Code Red was a Working fire.
I decided to take a trip up there and check the place out. As I came into Providence on I-95, I heard "Engine ** to Fire Alarm, Code Red". I knew it was a Working Fire but had no idea of where it was. So I got off the first exit and along comes a Mack CF Tiller Ladder. I followed it, assuming it was going to the job. The Tiller cab was enclosed with the words "Ladder 5" on the back. I followed them a few blocks and there was the job. A fire on the Second floor of a large 3 1/2 wood frame. The trucks were opening up and the two lines stretched up the inside stairway. It was a Great Quick inside knockdown. "I was sold".
The city was loaded with very large 2 1/2, 3 1/2, and Queen Anne frames. Plenty of large old factories, and apartment buildings. Several engines were Red Mack CFs similiar to FDNY, they had street pull boxes, several very narrow streets lined with closly packed wood frames. After catching that job, and seeing the conditions, "I knew I'd be back". That was the spring of 1976. There's a few more stories to tell since then and as it goes, I'll try to remember a few.