A BRIEF HISTORY AND RECORD OF EVENTS OF THE WESTERN COVENTRY FIRE DIST.
1942-1962
On April 19, 1942, taxpayers in this area at the Masonic Hall in Greene accepted the Act of Incorporation of the Western Coventry Fire District passed at the January, 1942 session of the Rhode Island General Assembly. Edwin H. Arnold of Greene was elected Chief.
The District covers abut a 15 square mile area. Bordering the Connecticut State line on the West, the Foster-Scituate-Coventry town line on the North, the West Greenwich-Coventry town line on the South, and running a Southerly line on the east side of Nipmuc, Hammet, Williams Crossing, Harkney Hill, and Weaver Hill Roads on the easterly boundary.
The Arnolds Farm gave the District the three original trucks, which were the V-16, Larabee, and the Chevrolet.
July 16, 1942—Started work on building the station at Greene.
December 11, 1942—The Greene Fire Station was formally dedicated and a supper and formal program was held in the Masonic Hall, Greene at which time an American flag and a service flag honoring the 20 men were accepted as gifts by Edwin H. Arnold, Chief.
January 27, 1943—Western Coventry Fire District joined the Pawtuxet Valley Firemen’s League.
During 1942 and 1943 general fire training courses were given by Elmer Capwell, Chief of the Coventry Fire District and by Clarence Edson, State Forest Ranger. Chief Capwell’s instruction was generally structural fire techniques while Mr. Edson’s was on forest fire fighting techniques.
December 8, 1948—At a special meeting of the District it was voted to buy a Dodge power wagon to replace the 1922 Larabee.
During 1950 and 1951 waterholes were dug by the town in the Western Coventry area to help aid in fire protection through the urging of the rural fire Chiefs and Forest Wardens.
April 2, 1951—Voters approved purchase of an International chassis to replace the V-16. During 1951 through the courtesy of the New Haven Railroad, Mr. Jesse Finlay, and Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Henry, a road was built from the end of Benefit Street to the Buckshorn Brook that made available a good supply of water for the community. The men of the department through the aid of heavy equipment from Mr. Arnold, Kenneth Briggs and others helped construct this road.
April 8, 1952—Edwin H. Arnold reited as Chief and Lester Underwood was elected Chief.
April 8, 1952—Edwin Arnold gave to the District a jeep and attached fire equipment and two-way radio worth about $2000 to the Dist.
April 8, 1952—The 1931 Chevrolet was transferred from the Greene station to Koszela’s garage in Summit.
April 8, 1952—Taxpayers approved an appropriation to build a station in Summit. Site on land owned by Charles Wilcox on Route 117 just east of the Summary rotary was decided upon.
April 6, 1954—At the annual meeting, purchase of a Ford truck chassis for the Summit station to replace the “Stutz” was approved.
During 1954, the District had fire alarm wiring installed in Summit so that the siren at Summit could be blown from the homes of Edgar Dunbar and John Koszela. Also through the generosity of Edwin Arnold, fire alarm wiring was installed between the siren at the Greene station and the air horn at Mr. Arnold’s garage, which could be blown from several locations.
1957—A Civil Defense generator for emergency power was installed at the Summit station as this station had been designated as an auxiliary communications station in case the Town House could not be used.
At the April, 1957 annual meeting, the purchase of two Scott airpaks was authorized from the $1100 legacy of the late Myra Brown.
May 8, 1958—The Western Coventry Fire District joined the “RICONN” Mutual Aid Association, which is made up of fire companies along the State Line to aid each other in large fires or fires right on the line.
During 1958, equipment was installed so that the sirens could be blown from the homes of William Nason and Walter Cornell, Jr.
1960—Through the generosity of Edwin Arnold, fire alarm wire and equipment was installed so that the siren at the Arnold Farms was connected into the alarm system and sounds the same time as the one at the station.
February 20, 1961—A Dodge power wagon was given to the District by Mr. Arnold; equipment from the 1931 Chevrolet was transferred to it and it was placed in service at the Summit station.
April 2, 1962—Lester Underwood declined renomination as Chief due to health reasons and William Nason was elected Chief.
During the past 20 years we have seen the Western Coventry Fire District grow by leaps and bounds as the necessity grew for more and better equipment. Right now we will be very soon starting to launch on a new adventure with an ambulance squad, which will be in operation very shortly.
Every vehicle is radio equipped plus a walkie-talkie the District purchased in 1960. Also for a rural Fire Department we have a good system for sounding the sirens in case of fire from several locations in the District where the Red Network telephones are located.
Since April 29, 1954, when the Ladies Auxiliary was organized, they have aided the District immensely by various purchases. One of their latest purchases is an Emerson Resusitator that will be placed on the ambulance.
I think it is fitting that we honor those who have retired and served the District through its infancy. Especially we should thank Edwin Arnold for the untold amount of equipment he has given us; also for his valuable advice and aid in getting the District on its feet; and for the use of his garage facilities he has always made available to us.
Also to R. B. Hutchinson for his time and skill working on the equipment, whenever we were putting new equipment on a truck chassis.
Besides those we are honoring tonight, I would like very much to pay respects to our departed brothers who were members of the District and helped through the years on the various projects and fought the fires.
In closing, all of the present Officers and members of the Fire District wish to thank those of you we are honoring tonight because your service and hard work have made the District what it is today.
1942-1962
NUMBER OF FIRES WITHIN THE DISTRICT----------236
NUMBER OF FIRES OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT-------- 48
OTHER AID, SUCH AS SEARCH OR RESCUE--------- 5
June 1, 1962
David H. Underwood, Clerk
1942 1953 1942-10
8 IN DISTRICT 10 IN DISTRICT 1943-29
1 OUT OF DISTRICT 3 OUT OF DISTRICT 1944-14
1 EMERGENCY CALL 13 1945-20
10 1946-21
1954 1947-18
1943 6 IN DISTRICT 1948-15
27 IN DISTRICT 1949-12
2 OUT OF DISTRICT 1955 1950-15
29 11 IN DISTRICT 1951-14
1952-8
1944 1956 1953-13
9 IN DISTRICT 13 IN DISTRICT 1954-6
5 OUT OF DISTRICT 1955-11
14 1957 1956-13
10 IN DISTRICT 1957-12
1945 2 OUT OF DISTRICT 1958-10
17 IN DISTRICT 12 1959-14
3 OUT OF DISTRICT 1960-12
20 1958 1961-19
8 IN DISTRICT 1962-3 (UP TO JUNE 1,
1946 2 OUT OF DISTRICT 1962)
14 IN DISTRICT 10 289 TOTAL TO DATE
6 OUT OF DISTRICT
1 RESCUE CALL 1959
21 11 IN DISTRICT
3 OUT OF DISTRICT
1947 14
15 IN DISTRICT
3 OUT OF DISTRICT 1960
18 9 IN DISTRICT
2 OUT OF DISTRICT
1948 1 RESCUE
11 IN DISTRICT 12
4 OUT OF DISTRICT
15 1961
16 IN DISTRICT
1949 2 OUT OF DISTRICT
10 IN DISTRICT 1 SEARCH FOR LOST CHILD-OUT OF DISTRICT
1 OUT OF DISTRICT 19
1 RESCUE CALL
12 1962 (UP TO JUNE 1, 1962
3 IN DISTRICT
1950
12 IN DISTRICT
3 OUT OF DISTRICT
15
1951
8 IN DISTRICT
6 OUT OF DISTRICT
14
1952
8 IN DISTRICT