History

The Town of Westerly had no organized fire protection from 1669 to 1845.  Most homes had leather fire buckets to protect their houses. Fires generally had the entire community assisting with its extinguishment. A small hand engine was purchased through public donations in 1819.  This engine could not draft water but was supplied by buckets.  This engine served for approximately 25 years.  In 1844 two new hand engines were purchased and these engines could draft water.  The two engines were named Protection and Relief.  This was considered to be the establishment of the first organized fire company in Westerly and it was known as the Protection Fire Company No. 1.  The fire department was chartered by the Rhode Island General Assembly in 1845 as Westerly Fire Engine Company #2. In October of 1851 the hand engine Relief was renamed Gazelle and a month later the name of the fire company was changed to the Gazelle Engine Co. No. 2. Westerly's first fire station was constructed in 1856 on Cookie Hill. 

Fires in both Westerly and Pawcatuck were responded to with these two engines.  A major fire at Maxson and Co. Planning Mill destroyed that business and several other businesses and showed the need for more reliable pumping engines.  In January 1869, a steam powered engine along with a hand engine were purchased from Jeffers Company of Pawtucket RI.  The steam powered engine was named the Rhode Island Steam Fire Engine No. 1 and the hand engine was named the N.F. Dixon No. 2.  The Westerly Fire District was chartered in 1870 to "maintain a proper fire department".  In 1871 construction was started on 9 cisterns to be filled by rainwater.  The first Board of Engineers was comprised of Chief Charles Maxson and assistants Henry B. Gavitt, Henry C. Card, and William P. Coy.  Gavitt and Coy would later serve as chief of department. Friction between the Ones and the Dixon eventually led to Chief William Coy disbanding the N.f. Dixon No. 2 in 1877.  In 1883 the first rubber coats and boots were purchased to provide some protection for the volunteers. Also, in 1883 a fire at P.S. Barber's Soap Works on Mechanic Street showed the need for ladders. Three prominent families donated the $1250 to purchase the new wagon built by Rumsey and Co. of Seneca Falls NY and it was equipped with an assortment of ladders up to 45 feet.  The Alert Hook & Ladder Company No. 1 was formed in 1884.  In 1885 the hand pumper was replaced with a second steam powered engine, the Cyclone Steam Engine Company No. 2.  In 1885 the Westerly Water Works began the installation of hydrants in the downtown area.  In 1887 the Pawcatuck Fire District was formed, and their station built on Liberty Street.  In 1894 a new fire station was built that could house the three companies with meeting rooms on Union Street. The Cyclone Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 2 was formally organized as a separate fire company in 1895 with 10 men from the RI Ones and 15 new recruits.  In 1895 two new hose wagons were purchased from the Gleason & Bailey Co. 

 In 1904 both Westerly and Pawcatuck installed Gamewell fire alarm systems.  Each box transmitted a unique number signal corresponding to a street location when the lever was pulled. A mechanical system would then strike a bell in the tower of the fire station. The first alarm of fire in Westerly was received from Box #71 at Pleasant & Canal on August 24, 1904.  The first motorized pieces of apparatus were 2 hose wagons purchased from Maxim in 1914. The hose wagons had to have enough power to pull the steamers up to Quarry Hill.  The ladder company received a motorized city service ladder truck in 1915 from Maxim. This truck only carried ground ladders it did not have an aerial ladder.  The district purchased their first motor pumping engine in 1921 from the Ahrens Fox Co. that was capable of pumping 750 gpms. It was assigned to the Cyclones.  In 1926 the RI Ones received a 1000 gpm Seagrave pumper. 

On April 30, 1927 at 11:30pm an alarm was received from box 56 in Dixon Square to report a fire at the fire station.  The fire destroyed the fire station and RI Motors on Craft Court.  The old and new town halls were severely damaged.  Firefighters were able to save the RI Ones pumper and the Maxim ladder truck. The Ahrens Fox of the Cyclones was destroyed as well as the two steamers.  Assistance was summoned by Chief George Egger from Pawcatuck, Watch Hill, Misquamicut, Stonington, Mystic, and Pequot Engine Co. #No. 6 of New London. After the fire a new 1000 gpm pumper was immediately ordered from Ahrens Fox.  On August 30th the Panciera property was purchased and plans were approved for a fireproof station. The station would be constructed of red brick with granite trim and would have 4 apparatus bays and one machine shop.  A new Gamewell fire alarm system was installed in Christ Church until the new fire station was completed. The present fire station on Union St. was officially occupied in January of 1930. Unfortunately, on July 28, 1930, the Westerly Fire Department experienced its first line of duty death. Westerly Fire Chief George Eggar succumbed to injuries after a fall from a barn hayloft while investigating smoke coming from the barn. He was rushed to Westerly Hospital where he died that evening. The call ended up being a false alarm.

In 1931 the Westerly Fire District and the town of Westerly purchased a 1931 Ford truck. The town installed a pump and 300 gallon water tank and equipment was provided by the fire district. The truck was officially known as the Forest Truck. The height of the new buildings in the downtown area caused the fire district to purchase its first aerial ladder truck from Seagrave. It had a 65 foot steel aerial ladder and also carried an assortment of ground ladders. The truck was delivered in December of 1938 but not officially placed in service until the night of the annual meeting of the Alert Hook & Ladder Co. No. 1 January 5, 1939. Chief Pasetti was appointed the first full-time fire chief in 1942.  In 1949 a small attack pumper was purchased from Maxim on a Dodge chassis and became Engine 3. A year later, an identical vehicle was purchased by the town of Westerly and equipped by the fire district replacing the 1931 Ford Forest Truck.  New modern equipment continued to be purchased; new pumpers were delivered by Seagrave in 1953 & 1957. Both were of a 1000 gpm pumping capacity with 250 gallon water tanks. The 1953 was assigned to the Rhode Island Ones and the 1957 to the Cyclones. The only difference was that the 1953 had an open cab and the 1957 had an enclosed cab. The growth and continued development in the Westerly Fire District necessitated an upgrade to the Gamewell fire alarm system in 1954 as well as a systematic re-numbering of all fire alarm boxes.

 A new 100 foot aerial ladder truck was purchased from Maxim and delivered in May of 1971. On July 8, 1972, Westerly Fire Chief Columbus Pasetti, Westerly’s longest serving fire chief passed away after a short illness. He served as Westerly Fire Chief from 1933 to 1972, 39 years.  In 1973, Chief Robert Mackay began the installation of two-way radios in the trucks and chief’s car as well as a base radio in the station. Westerly was one of the last departments in the state to have radio equipped units. In 1974 the district purchased a new attack pumper from the W.S. Darley Co. to replace both the Dodge pumpers. It was equipped with a 500 gpm high pressure pump and a 500 gallon water tank. On January 31, 1976, the Westerly Fire Department experienced its second line of duty death. While battling a blaze on West St., First Assistant Chief John “Jake” Keena suffered a heart attack. Department members initiated CPR and members of the Westerly Ambulance Corps rushed Assistant Chief Keena to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Additionally, in 1976 a new Seagrave pumper with a diesel engine was purchased. It was equipped with a 1,250 gpm pump and 500 gallon water tank. It also was equipped with three preconnected hose lines. The 1953 Seagrave was retained as a reserve unit. In 1979 the Westerly Fire District purchased a Dodge bucket truck to use in maintaining the fire alarm system. Members were trained to operate the vehicle as well as maintain the fire alarm system. This work continues today. In 1983 the department replaced the 1957 Seagrave pumper of Engine 2 with a 1983 Seagrave pumper with 1500 gpm pump and 500 gallon tank. The 1957 was sold to Block Island.

In January of 1989, the Westerly Fire District purchased property in the North End of town for a future Station and authorized the replacement of the 1974 Engine 3. W.S. Darley was awarded the contract and the vehicle was delivered in April of 1990. It was built on an International chassis with 750 gpm pump and 500 gallon water tank. The Awards program, a retention and recruitment, was officially adopted by the Westerly Fire District. The program would provide qualifying volunteer with a retirement benefit in turn for meeting a yearly set of requirements.  On February 1, 1992, after over eighty years of answering calls directly at the fire station the Westerly Fire Chief Joseph Misto contracted dispatch duties with Westerly Dispatch, the dispatch center operated by the Westerly Ambulance Corps from their building on Chestnut St. Westerly Dispatch continues to provide this service with a computer aided dispatch program. Simon-LTI delivered a 1994 rear mount aerial ladder truck with a 110 foot aerial ladder to replace the 1971 Maxim ladder truck. In March of 1995 the Westerly Fire District purchased the former Christian Science Church at 180 Beach Street and Chief Misto oversaw its conversion into Station Two. July 1998 saw the replacement of Engine 1’s 1976 Seagrave pumper with a new Pierce 1500 gpm pump, 750 gallon water tank and 2 foam tanks tied into an onboard foam system. One tank was 10 gallons while the other was 40 gallons. The smaller tank contained Class A foam while the larger contained Class B foam. The 1976 served as Engine 4 responding from Station 2 until its sale in 2002. In 2000 the original wooden apparatus doors at Station 1 were replaced with new overhead glass doors. In 2002 the 1983 Seagrave pumper of Engine 2 was replaced with a Pierce pumper with 1750 gpm pump, 500 gallon tank and onboard foam system. Unlike Engine 1 it had one 50 gallon foam tank filled with Class B foam. The 1983 Seagrave was then reassigned as Engine 4 operating out of Station 2 until its sale in 2007.  

Under Chief David Sayles the Westerly Fire Department became one of five Decontamination units created by the State of Rhode Island as a result of the post 9/11 response to prepare for future events. In 2005, the team was deployed to Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina to assist in recovery efforts.  In 2007 the district purchased 2 identical Pierce pumpers for Engines 3 & 4wtih 1500 gpm pumps, 750 gallon water tanks and 40 gallon foam tank with onboard foam system. The Westerly Fire district assumed extrication duties for motor vehicle accidents in July of 2009.  In 2016 the Westerly Fire Department placed in service an SVI heavy rescue vehicle. In 2018 the Westerly Fire District purchased and placed in service a 20 foot hard bottom inflatable watercraft with 30 hp motor for emergencies on the Pawcatuck River and Chapman’s Pond.  In 2019 the 1994 Simon LTI ladder truck was replaced by a 105 foot E-One ladder truck. The 1994 was sold to the Warwick Fire Department for use as a spare ladder truck. 

As of 2020 the Westerly Fire Department restructured the officers moving from company officers who were elected to department officers selected based on qualifications and oral interviews. Two captains and four lieutenants were selected and began their official duties on June 1, 2020.  The Westerly Fire District continues to maintain and operate 168 master boxes and 238 street boxes on the Gamewell fire alarm system. The department also maintains two antiques apparatus, the 1927 Ahrens Fox pumper and the 1953 Seagrave pumper. Both have been completely restored to original condition by the hard work of department members and donations for the local community. The department also maintains an 1860 Button and Blake hand-drawn hand pumper. This piece is maintained solely by the members of the department through catering events and has also been completely restored.