Watch Hill FD
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Organized in 1902, the Watch Hill FD serves an affluent village in the Town of Westerly that is located on the southwestern most point in Rhode Island. Protecting two square miles of land and six square miles of water, 24 volunteers along with 3 career firefighters (including the fire chief) provide Fire, Rescue and EMS First Response answering an average of 175 alarms (with more than half occurring during the summer tourist season).
Upon the department's formation in 1902, a hose house was constructed and 2,000 feet of hose was purchased. A second firehouse was built in 1933 and then in 1956 the current firehouse was constructed to reduce the risk of damage from a hurricane. Present day, it houses two engines, an aerial quint and a squad type vehicle equipped for extrication and water rescue. A unyque feature of Watch Hill's firehouse (which is what drew me to visit) is that there are over 200
fire hydrants of all sizes/types painted in a variety of colors positioned around the property (see more details below).
Box Alarm System
In 1920, telephones were installed around the area for use as a fire alarm reporting system - these were subsequently replaced in 1946 with fire alarm boxes which remain in service present day with a total of 22 master and 29 street boxes used in conjunction with the house siren. In addition to these fire alarm boxes, a unyque cooperative project between various agencies provides several public access AED/EMS/Fire boxes for residents/visitors that can be accessed by dialing
9-1-1 after which the caller is given the entry code and emergency medical dispatch guidance. Funded cooperatively between the Watch Hill Fire Department, Westerly Ambulance, the Rhode Island Department of Health, the Westerly Heart Safe Community Committee and the Commander Roberts Foundation, five boxes were established at key points within the response area (merry-go-round ticket office, library, parking lots, etc.). A $30,000 grant from the Commander Roberts Foundation replaced outdated equipment and training, provided new Automated External Defibrillators (AED's) on 12 emergency response vehicles as well as free CPR/AED/First Aid training for 250 community residents. With an additional $14,500 funding, five additional AED's were purchased for the public access boxes with the Watch Hill FD providing a fire extinguisher and Stop-The-Bleed kit and Westerly Ambulance/ Rhode Island Department of Health supplying dual dose Narcan kits.
While researching area fire departments for a planned teaching trip to the Town of Westerly, I came across an image of these hydrants situated on the grounds of the Watch Hill FD which prompted me to visit to photograph it. While I expected to simply find these assorted hydrants around the picnic area as shown, I was rather surprised to learn that there were over 200 hydrants of all sizes, styles and colors on the firehouse property!
See the feature article "Hydrant Heaven" for more photos and the detailed story behind this rather unyque department project.
Engine 102 (“The Shepard”) - 1996 KME 1250 gpm/750 gal.
Dedicated in memory of Asst. Chief Shepard W. Simmons who passed away prior to its' dedication, Engine 102 responds first due to most alarms including motor vehicle accidents. Accordingly, it is equipped with three 250' pre-connects (two 1-3/4" with fog nozzles, one 2-1/2" with smooth bore nozzle), a 100' 3" blitz line with TFT® Blitzfire portable monitor, two 500' 1-3/4" "mansion lines" and 1,500' of 4" LDH supply line. In addition, it carries six SCBA
(including the driver), RIT gear and extrication tools.
Engine 103 (“The Chief”) - 2007 Spartan/Ferrara 1500 gpm/1000 gal.
Acquired in 2015 having formerly served Bradford, Rhode Island where it was painted Red, it is assigned to respond first due to brush fires as well as second due for water supply. Seating six (all with SCBA including the driver), it is outfitted with two 250' 1-3/4" pre-connects (with fog nozzles), a 100' 3" blitz line with TFT® Blitzfire portable monitor and 1,000' of 4" LDH supply line.
Ladder 104 ("The Commander") - 2007 Pierce Dash 100'/2000 gpm/500 gal.
Seating six (with a total of 8 SCBA including the driver), Ladder 104 is equipped with three 250' pre-connects (two 1-3/4" with fog nozzles, one 2-1/2" with smooth bore nozzle) and 1,000' of 4" LDH supply line. In addition, it also carries low/high angle rope rescue gear and RIT equipment.
Squad 100 - 2019 Chevrolet HD3500 4x4
Assigned first due for EMS first response and water/beach rescue as well as second due for motor vehicle accidents, it also handles traffic control by fire police and tows the department's various support trailers. It is outfitted with water/ice rescue gear for four rescuers, a portable underwater camera as well as Hurst® extrication tools (spreader, cutter and three rams) supplied by a portable gas powered motor. It replaced a 2008 GMC 2500 extended cab
pick-up which has been assigned second due for traffic control, towing support trailers and snow plowing/sanding. In conjunction for water rescue, the department also operates a 17’ Boston Whaler and 25’ rigid inflatable with aluminum
hull (former US Coast Guard) for water rescue operations.
Traffic 100 (Retired) - 2007 Dodge Charger
Formerly assigned to fire police for traffic control, it is slated to be scrapped due to mechanical issues. During the Summer of 2021, it was parked outside the firehouse in an effort to slow speeders passing through the village!
Emergency Response Support Trailers
Watch Hill operates several enclosed cargo trailers for various support functions including:
Special Operations - pumps/hose/floating strainers and generators for use during flood response operations
Cascade Unit - cascade system and spare cylinders for Scott® SCBA
Support Services - training props and rehab supplies for extended operations (coffee pot, blankets, BLS medical equipment)
ATV Operations - transports a 2012 Polaris Ranger 6x6 UTV used for dune grass/brush fires, searches and patient transport