// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhy did the Providence Fire Department goer bring a ladder? To take things to a higher level.
 | |
| Operational area | |
|---|---|
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Rhode Island |
| City | Providence |
| Agency overview[1][2] | |
| Established | March 1, 1854 |
| Annual calls | 45,750 (2024) |
| Annual budget | $67,775,182 (2014) |
| Staffing | Career |
| Fire chief | Derek Silva |
| IAFF | 799 |
| Motto | “In Omnia Paratus,” meaning “In All Things Ready”[3] |
| Facilities and equipment[4] | |
| Divisions | 1 |
| Battalions | 3 |
| Stations | 12 |
| Engines | 12 |
| Trucks | 7 |
| Platforms | 2 |
| Squads | 1(Special Hazards) |
| Rescues | 7 (ambulances) |
| Tenders | 1 |
| HAZMAT | 1 |
| Fireboats | 1 |
| Rescue boats | 1 |
| Light and air | 1 |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
| IAFF website | |
The Providence Fire Department provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the city of Providence, Rhode Island.
History
[edit]Providence's first fire department was organized in 1759.[5] The state General Assembly raised money to purchase the town's first large water engine, and required every citizen to acquire a pair of two-gallon leather buckets to form volunteer bucket brigades.[3]
On March 1, 1854, a paid fire department was established, making it the second oldest professional fire department in the country.[3]
A years-long contract dispute between the city and the firefighter's union began in 2001.[6] Mayor David Cicilline promised to resolve the dispute within 30 days of his election in 2002, but was unable to reach an agreement.[6] In 2009, the dispute became national news as Vice President Joe Biden refused to attend the national mayor’s conference, held that year in Providence, so as not to cross the picket line.[7]
As part of a 2017 agreement reached by mayor Jorge Elorza, the Humboldt Avenue and Rochambeau Avenue firehouses were decommissioned to save costs.[8][9]
Operations
[edit]Fire Station Locations and Apparatus
[edit]The PFD operates out of twelve fire stations, organized into three battalions[10]
| Engine Company | Image | Ladder Company | Rescue Ambulance | Special Unit | Chief Unit | Address | Neighborhood | Battalion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine 2 |  | Ladder 7 | Rescue 3 | Marine Unit | Battalion Chief 3 | 10 Branch Ave. | Mt. Hope | 3 |
| Engine 3 |  | Tower Ladder 1 | Rescue 4 | Special Hazards 1(Heavy Rescue & Haz-Mat) | Division Chief 1(Deputy Chief), Safety Battalion Chief | 325 Washington St. | Federal Hill | 1 |
| Engine 6 |  | Rescue 2 | 489 Hartford Ave. | Hartford | 2 | |||
| Engine 7 |  | Rescue 5 | Air Cascade Unit 1 | 151 N. Main St. | College Hill | 3 | ||
| Engine 8 |  | Tower Ladder 2 | Battalion Chief 2 | 201 Messer St. | West End | 2 | ||
| Engine 9 |  | Ladder 8 | Fireboat 1 | 223 Brook St. | Fox Point | 3 | ||
| Engine 10 |  | Ladder 5 | Rescue 1 | 847 Broad St. | Lower South Providence | 1 | ||
| Engine 11 |  | 274 Reservoir Ave. | Reservoir | 1 | ||||
| Engine 12 |  | Ladder 3 | Rescue 7 | 426 Admiral St. | Elmhurst | 3 | ||
| Engine 13 |  | Foam Unit | Battalion Chief 1 | 776 Allens Ave. | Washington Park | 1 | ||
| Engine 14 |  | Ladder 6 | Rescue 6 | 639 Atwells Ave. | Valley | 2 | ||
| Engine 15 |  | Car 56, Car 72 (Fire Investigations) | 136 Mt. Pleasant Ave. | Mt. Pleasant | 2 |
Former stations
[edit]
Humboldt Avenue Fire Station (decommissioned 2017)
References
[edit]- ↑ "2014 Annual Budget". Providence Rhode Island. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ↑ "2024 Annual Report" (PDF). Providence Fire Department. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
- 1 2 3 "About Us". City of Providence Fire Department. City of Providence. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ↑ "Stations". Providence Fire Department. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
- ↑ "Providence Fire Department Records". Rhode Island Historical Society. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- 1 2 Molinaro, Sara (October 31, 2006). "Firefighters and city make slow progress in contract talks". Brown Daily Herald. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
- ↑ "Providence mayor, union duel over national meeting". Deseret News. Associated Press. June 8, 2009. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
- ↑ Bramson, Kate (January 7, 2017). "Providence firehouses closing as part of downsizing". The Providence Journal. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ↑ Reynolds, Mark (January 5, 2017). "Providence, firefighters' union approve 5-year contract, ending long standoff". The Providence Journal. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
- ↑ "Find a fire station".
External links
[edit]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
