East Providence Fire receives two grants; creates Heavy Rescue Task Force
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 3, 2021
CONTACT INFO.:
Office of the Mayor
Patricia Resende
(401) 529-3207
EAST PROVIDENCE, RI – The city of East Providence Fire Dept. has been awarded the FY 2021 Homeland Security Grant in the amount $50,000 and the 2020 Homeland Security Grant in the amount of $25,000. Both awards were granted through the Rhode Island Emergency Agency (RIEMA).
The funds will enable the East Providence Fire Dept. for training programs and startup costs for its East Providence Fire Dept. Technical Rescue Team, which is comprised of fire department members who are trained and certified to respond and provide technical knowledge, high-risk work duties, and specialized equipment in technical rescue situations such as high-angle rescue, confined space, and structural collapse situations.
“We are excited to be the host community for the East Bay Heavy Rescue Task Force,” Mayor Bob DaSilva said. “We are honored that RIEMA chose East Providence.”
In addition to the funding, the East Providence Fire Department is now officially a Rhode Island Heavy Rescue Task Force squad and will serve the entire East Bay area of the state. The Rhode Island Heavy Rescue Task Force is organized into the East Bay (East Providence Fire Department) and West Bay (Warwick Fire Department) Heavy Rescue Squad. When the two squads come together they form the Rhode Island Heavy Rescue Task Force that is a Type-4 Urban Search and Rescue Team asset for the State of Rhode Island and beyond.
“We would like to thank RIEMA for selecting East Providence Fire Dept. to serve as one of two Heavy Rescue Teams for RIEMA,” Chief Glenn Quick said. “It’s another proud day for EPFD and the citizens we serve every day.”
About the East Providence Fire Dept. Technical Rescue Team: The East Providence Fire Department Technical Rescue Team was established in 2004 to provide a response capability for specialized rescue situations. The team is an extension of the capabilities of the normal fire rescue and emergency medical response. The team will respond to events and incidents that are "outside the norm" of a typical emergency call.
