On December 22, 2009 members of Local 2334 delivered Santa on a fire truck to St. Mary's home to make their annual delivery of toys to the children.
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Dear North Providence Taxpayers,

During the past year, Mayor Lombardi has launched a media campaign against the
Firefighters of Local 2334. We have intentionally opted to not respond to his allegations as we do not believe the media is the appropriate vehicle to resolve issues. However, we have no choice but to provide you with the true facts surrounding his claims.

Lombardi’s Claim: The firefighters are causing excessive overtime and generating costs the Town can’t afford.

Truth: The Mayor refuses to hire firefighters to fill vacant positions causing existing firefighters to be hired back on overtime amounting to over $780,000 per year.

Truth: The Mayor himself increased the minimum staffing level of the Fire Department by placing a heavy rescue vehicle in service as part of a campaign promise.

Truth: The Firefighters have offered over $3,000,000 in givebacks, but the Mayor
refuses to negotiate and is now using taxpayer dollars as spiteful revenge. In the past year alone, the Mayor has spent over $250,000 on legal fees and arbitration costs.

IT’S ALL ABOUT SAFETY!

Lombardi’s Claim: The closing of Station 3 will save the Town $50,000 and will not endanger public safety.

Truth: No matter how the Mayor tries to spin it, response times will increase and affect public safety.

Truth: According to the Town’s $30,000 study “…the shorter the response time, the smaller the fire that must be extinguished and the better the opportunity for [rescuers] to save critical patients.” North Providence Fire Department Resource Deployment Study pg.33

Truth: Without oxygen, brain damage occurs in between 2-4 minutes.

Truth: A fire doubles in size every minute.

Truth: Survival rate after a fire burns for 6-8 minutes is ZERO.

Truth: Victims receiving CPR within 4 minutes have the highest survival rates.

“Political interference has no place in the arena of public safety. It lowers morale and
affects the quality of services provided to our residents.”
Charles A. Lombardi, Letter to Firefighters, Dated January 18, 2007


Thank you for your continued support!
Your North Providence Firefighters

Attention Town Resident:

The Mayor has unjustifiably decided to jeopardize public safety by closing Fire Station 3 (Geneva) located at 1264 Douglas Ave. on December 2, 2009. This closure will have minimal to no financial savings for our community, but will increase the risk to your Life and Property. Here are a few statements that help illustrate why a taxpayer should be against the closure of a fire station in our community.

• Your individual Home and Auto Insurance rates will increase after the closing of the fire station.
• This year the Mayor raised taxes 17%. Now he wants to cut services that you have already paid for and rely on without a reduction to you the taxpayer.
• Residents could potentially wait well beyond the first few critical minutes for survival in medical incidents as well as fire incidents.

Fact: Brain damage occurs when a person is without oxygen for 2-4 minutes Brain death occurs in 8 minutes. Many things can cause lack of oxygen including seizures, stroke, heart attack, choking and the deadly smoke of fires.

Fact: Fire doubles in size every 1 minute, extreme temperatures reaching over 1,000 degrees will occur in a matter of minutes. Survival rate after fires burn more than 8 minutes is zero.

• Residents of North Providence depend on response times that are among the best in the nation as a result of having four engine companies in our community.
• The cost of the quality Fire and Rescue services North Providence Residents currently receive is less than 58 cents per day, per resident.
• In 1989 the Fire Department became full time with 20 Firefighters per shift and 4 Fire Stations. Now, 20 years later and 50% busier the Mayor is downsizing the department, compromising our ability to properly protect our great community.
• North Providence Fire Fighters responded to over 6,700 calls for help last year alone, of which more than 110 of those calls were structure fires.

There are numerous ways to save money in our community without affecting public safety. However, the Mayor remains committed to Fire Department cuts due to personal fights with this department. Mayor Lombardi recently stated to us, “I love fighting you, I enjoy it”. Unfortunately his enjoyment is funded by your tax dollars and safety.

Please help us, help you. Do your part to protect your safety and keep politics out of the Fire Department. Contact Mayor Lombardi and your Council Person today. Stand up to them, for your safety and the safety of your community. Say NO to Fire Department cuts and NO to Fire Station closure.

For any questions or to sign a petition please contact jsilva@local2334.com

Contact your council members in opposition.

District 1

Paul Caranci 639-4502
Manny Giusti 749-5776

District 2

Joe Giammarco 301-3261
Frank Manfredi 451-9809

District 3

John Zambarano 932-1127
Ray Douglas 714-6969

Council At-Large

Joe Burchfield 639-4997

Know The Truth!

Open letter to the citizens of North Providence
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North Providence Firefighters Rescue man trapped in a tree.

On June 9, 2009 North Providence firefighters were dispatched to Angell Avenue for a man trapped in a tree. Crews arrived to find a man who was pinned 40ft up in a tree from a falling limb that he was cutting. A technical rescue operaton was immediatley put into place. The Rescue crew stabilized the victim in the tree while the other companies began the rescue effort. The decision was made to bring in some local tree companies to aid firefighters in the cutting of the limb. The victim was removed and airlifted to the hospital. Over 20 firefighters assisted in the operation. Video courtesy of NBC 10.

North Providence Firefighters respond to a house fire on Allen Ave.

Photo Courtesy of Greg Unsworth

On Wednesday May 13, 2009 Engine 1 was conducting a routine tour of their district after clearing an EMS run when they informed fire alarm that they were investigating a smoke condition in the 500 block of Woonasquatucket Avenue. Shortly after they pinpointed the smoke to Allen Avenue and came across a house fire at 53 Allen Avenue. Engine 1 signaled the Code Red and the crew layed their own feeders while Lt. Charello sized up and ascertained whether any occupants were inside the dwelling. When entering the front door he was met by two occupants who were escorted to safety. Engine 1 then stretched a 2.5in line through the front door and began containing the fire while other first due apparatus were approaching the scene. Several out of town companies were called to the scene for additional manpower.

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Vice President Joe Biden Speaks at CFSI

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