New hand truck arrives at the East Providence Fire Department

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI (WPRI) – For the first time in two decades, the East Providence Fire Department added a new truck to its fleet.

East Providence chief fire officer Glenn Quick said the E-One Typhoon ladder cart was built in Ocala, Florida in 2021 and comes with a selection of floor ladders and extraction tools.

“This was a long time coming due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it came just in time because we had to shut down one of our carts,” explained Quick.

Quick said the city paid $ 1 million for the truck assigned to Station 2 on Bullocks Point Avenue.

East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva said the arrival of the new truck was long overdue.

“We strive to provide our residents with the highest level of public safety and improve it,” said DaSilva. “This additional ladder will help the people of our city and can help save lives.”

“This device could mean the difference between a successful and unsuccessful intervention in a fire, so it’s important to keep the equipment up to date,” he continued.

Quick said the truck is not yet operational as the city’s firefighters have yet to be trained on how to operate the vehicle and the equipment on board.