The Permanent Fire Department of the City of Cranston was organized in 1920 when the Fire Department Committee of the City Council recommended to the Council to build a two-story fire station on City property in back of the high school in the Auburn section of the city.  The architecture of the building to be in keeping with that of the high school. The building is to be two stories in height, with apparatus rooms and a Police Station on the ground floor, and with quarters for a small number of paid men on the second floor, There will also be a battery and headquarters room for the alarm system.  The estimated cost, initially, to be $40,000 dollars for the building, pumper and alarm system, plus a salary appropriation for a Chief, a Superintendent of Fire Alarm, and a small number of men.  The permanent department formally opened with Daniel F. Young as Chief on December 20, 1920.

     Previous to this, all fire protection in the City of Cranston was provided by eleven volunteer fire companies situated in various areas and villages of the city.

     Before 1923, (from 1891 to 1923), fire protection for the town (the city, after 1910) was furnished strictly by volunteer fire companies:

• Pawtuxet Volunteer Co. Sheldon and Commercial Streets

• Edgewood Volunteer Co. Pawtuxet Avenue, near Wentworth Avenue

• Auburn Volunteer Co. Doric Avenue, near Park Avenue

• Eden Park Volunteer Co. Colonial Avenue, near Glenwood Avenue

• Cranston Volunteer Co. Dyer Avenue, near Cranston Street   (site of St. Ann's School)

• Pocasset Volunteer Co. Cranston Street, near Randall Street

• Oaklawn Volunteer Co. Wilbur Avenue, near site of Route 295

• Fiskeville Volunteer Co. Main Street, Fiskeville.

     It has been said that the first firefighting equipment of any kind in the town of Cranston was a steam pumper, bought and maintained by the Cranston Print Works, Co.

     In the year 1923, the City of Cranston built a two-bay, two-story fire station at Pontiac Avenue and Legion Way, for an estimated $25,000 dollars and installed a 500 G.P.M. rotary gear, triple combination motor hose wagon with chemical tanks and pumping engine for a cost of $10,000 dollars, manufactured by the White Motor Company, and a suitable number of men to man the pumper under the command of Chief Daniel Young.  This was termed the Cranston Regular Fire Department.  The working hours were 22 hours a day, 2 hours a day off for meals, and 1 day off every 7 days.

     In 1924, additional men and a 1924 single bank city service Maxim ladder truck were added.  This constituted the nucleus of the paid regular firefighting forces of the City of Cranston.

     The second permanent two-story, two-bay fire station fire station was built in the northwest section of the city, on land donated for the purpose by the Cranston Print Works Company, at the corner of Cranston Street and Dyer Avenue, and went into service in 1927 as Station #3.   Installed in the station are two 1927 model trucks; Hose 3, a 750 G.P.M. Maxim triple combination pumper, and Ladder 3, a double bank, city service ladder truck with suitable manpower.  The working hours were 22 hours a day, 2 hours a day off for meals, and one day off in five.

     In 1928, another two-story, two-bay fire station was built at the corner of Park and Warwick Avenues, on city-owned land that was formerly the site of a city school.  This is in the eastern part, or Edgewood, section of the city.  At the time of the opening of the Edgewood Station, Station #1, two 1,000 G.P.M. triple combination pumpers, and one city service ladder truck were purchased from American LaFrance Company.  One pumper was used to replace the 500 G.P.M. White pumper at Pontiac Avenue Headquarters station, and the other pumper, Hose 1, and ladder truck, Ladder 1,  were placed in service in Edgewood.  At or soon after the time these three stations were opened, the three volunteer fire companies in the areas disbanded; namely, Auburn Volunteer Fire, Cranston Volunteer Fire, and Edgewood Volunteer Fire Companies, in that order.

     On October 4, 1928, a Fire Department Mechanic was hired at the pay of a Private to maintain the seven vehicles of the Department.

     In 1938, an Autocar chassis was purchased, and the ladder rack or body was removed from the Maxim and placed on the Autocar chassis, which made a new ladder truck for Station #2 (Headquarters.)

     At this time, it should be noted that in most cities, fire stations are numbered from the first station, which is generally Fire Headquarters #1, and all other sub-stations numbered up from there. But in Cranston, the fire stations were numbered according to the city ward in which they were situated thus:  Edgewood - Ward 1, Station 1; Auburn - Ward 2, Station 2, etc.  At  this time, the Command structure consisted of a Station Captain and a Lieutenant in each station.  The Captain was on the Engine Company, and the Lieutenant rode the Ladder Company, with approximately four to five men on each piece of apparatus.  The Engine men wore black helmets, while Ladder men wore blue helmets for distinction at fires.

     In 1939, the Fire Department structure was changed from a paid regular fire department to a permanent fire department.  As a member of a paid or regular fire department, a firefighter was appointed to the fire department on a yearly basis, and had to be reappointed each year.  As a member of a permanent paid fire department, firefighters are appointed to a permanent status after a one year probationary period.

     Also in 1939,  seven new men were added to the department, and the hours were shortened to a 72-hour work week as a two platoon system (two days on - two nights on; that is, 24 hours on and 24 hours off.)

     In 1944, a pension system was enacted into City Ordinance for the Permanent Fire Department.  Chief Daniel Young had passed on, and his son, William Young, took over as Chief of Department.  Shortly after World War II, the Command structure of the Cranston Fire Department was changed to add the rank of Deputy Chief.  The first two Deputy Chiefs were Charles E. Studley and Norman D. Broden.

     As the southwestern section of the City grew with shopping areas and plats, the need for a fourth station resulted in the construction of Station #4 in 1949.  In October of that year, sixteen men were added to the department to man a new one-story, two-bay station, built on Oaklawn Avenue and Willow Drive.  At the same time, the working hours were shortened to the 68 hour work week: four day tours, followed by twenty-four hours off; then, four night tours, followed by forty-eight hours off.  Also, new apparatus was purchased, including the first aerial ladder truck, a 75-foot American LaFrance, and put into service at Station #2.  The older pieces of apparatus from Station #2 were put into service at the new station on Oaklawn Avenue (Station #4), Engine 4, Ladder 4 and  a tank truck, which at the time was called, "The Jeep". (Now is Engine #10.)

     In 1951, the Ambulance operated by the Police Department was transferred to the Fire Department because of the capability of the Fire Department for more efficient manning and quicker response, and that formed the nucleus of our present Rescue Division.

     By 1953, Norman D. Broden took over as Chief of Department, and a new 1,000 G.P.M. triple combination pumper, built by Maxim Motor Company, was placed in service at Station #3.  The old 1927 Maxim 750 G.P.M. was placed in reserve.

     In 1953, the Bureau of Fire Prevention was organized, under the direction of Lieutenant Michael Paliotta, as a one-man Bureau, and has subsequently been expanded to its present size.  The Bureau is responsible for inspection programs, reviewing of building plans, new construction and installation procedures, and Fire Prevention Education.  Because of the efforts of the Bureau, the Cranston Fire Department, in 1957, was awarded first place in the Fire Prevention Contest in competition throughout the United States, with cities in the 50,000 to 90,000 population class, and because of the Bureau's extensive programs in stressing Fire Prevention, it has almost continuously won awards since.

     In 1954, another increase in manpower was instituted, so the Department duty hours could be shortened to the 56-hour work week, on a three platoon system, and the work week was three day tours, followed by 24 hours off; then three night tours, followed by 72 hours off.  Another 75-foot aerial ladder truck and a 1,000 G.P.M. pumper were purchased from Maxim Motor Company and placed in service at Pontiac Avenue Headquarters.  The American LaFrance aerial and Maximum 1,000 G.P.M. pumper they replaced were put in service at Edgewood Station #1.  The 1927 model pumper and city service ladder truck from Edgewood replaced the 1927 American LaFrance pumper and Autocar city service Ladder truck in Oaklawn.  The Autocar city service ladder truck was sold to a Johnston Volunteer Fire Company, and the pumper was sold to a Volunteer Fire Company to be organized in Potowomut section of Warwick; this Company never did get organized.

     The Division of Training was organized in 1954-56, under the direction of Lieutenant Ronald S. Jones, also as a one-man division, but has subsequently been expanded to its present size.  It is responsible for all Department training, recruitment, advanced, and extracurricular training outside the Department on a limited basis, for the local hospitals and nursing homes in the City.  Previous to that, training for new recruits was undertaken only when ten or more men were being added to the Fire Department at one time.  This was generally conducted by Deputy Chief Broden, or Captain Alfred Hanks.

     In 1955, a new 1,000 G.P.M. Maxim pumper was placed in service at Station #4, and also, in an underwriter's survey, it was found that ladder truck service in the four's district could be handled by Ladders 2 and 3, so Ladder 4 was subsequently put out of service and carried in reserve.

     In 1957, a new tank truck was placed in service at Station #4 and was called Engine #10.

     In 1959, Cranston's third aerial ladder truck was purchased from Maxim Motor Company, and placed in service at Station #3; old Ladder #3 was sold.  After considerable research and testing, the Cranston Fire Department developed a new ice rescue technique utilizing U.S. Government surplus "Cold Bar Suits" and specially designed ice rescue sleds, for quick access for rescue of persons, victims of ice accidents in ponds, rivers, etc.  In 1967, a sixteen-man Scuba Diving Team was organized and trained for underwater recovery work.  The Fire Department also maintains three rescue boats for water rescue incidents.

     A new addition to the Pontiac Avenue Headquarters Station was completed in 1965 providing more adequate and modern quarters for the Administrative, Fire Prevention Bureau, Division of Training, Rescue and the Engine and Ladder Company.  It also included a photography laboratory and an up to date modern vehicle maintenance shop, and a Fire Alarm Dispatch Central Office.

     In October of 1974 a new, three bay fire station was officially opened at Sockanosset Cross Roads opposite the Garden City Cinema.  This new station is designated as Station #4 and houses Engine 4, Ladder 2 (relocated from Station 2), and Rescue 2 (relocated from Station 8).   The engine is a new 125O G.P.M. Maxim pumper and the ladder is a new one-hundred foot American-LaFrance aerial.  The old Station 4, located on Oaklawn Avenue, is now designated as Station #12, housing Engine 12 and Engine 10.  The Pontiac Avenue Headquarters station now houses active companies of one 1250 G.P.M. Engine Company, Engine 2, and one Rescue Company, Rescue 1.  The old seventy-five foot aerial Ladder 2 is housed at Pontiac Avenue in reserve.

     The rapid expansion of Western Cranston and the new Industrial Park Located on Comstock Parkway resulted in a need for additional services in this area.  On April 1, 1985 the Department opened its sixth station located at 1155 Scituate Avenue.  Twenty firefighters were hired to man the one-story, three-bay station.  A new Emergency One 1250 G.P.M. pumper was placed in service and designated Engine #10.

     In  January of 1995 the City closed down the remaining four volunteer fire companies; Station #6 Pawtuxet, Station #7 Meshanticut, Station #5 Hope and Station #8 Fiskeville. The designation of stations 5 and 6 were reassigned to the permanent stations #12 and #10 respectively.