The City of Newport announced Wednesday that the Newport Fire Department has received a significant gift from a local family that will help the City bolster its emergency response fleet.
Newport residents George and Susan Petrovas have donated $250,000 to the City’s Fire Department, which will immediately help pay for a new Emergency Medical Rescue and help expedite the scheduled replacement of one of the City’s large apparatus engines.
Referring to the gift, Mr. Petrovas stated, “We are all fortunate to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world so anything we can do to continually improve our community and the well-being of all should be encouraged.”
The donation will be put directly into use to support the purchase of a needed Emergency Medical Rescue. The Rescue is being purchased to replace the City’s Fire Department’s second primary Rescue that runs out of Fire Station 2 on Old Fort Road. The Fire Department staffs two full-time Rescues and has a third Rescue cross-staffed when needed.
City Councilors approved the purchase of a Horton Type 1 Rescue at their Sept. 13th meeting at a total cost of $418,990.
Once ordered, this new piece of apparatus will take 28 months to be built and delivered. The Petrovas family’s donation will be used to supplement over half the purchase price.
Assisting the Fire Department to continue to deliver the highest level of prehospital Emergency Medical service was one of the goals of the Petrovas family’s donation. George Petrovas commented, “The City of Newport’s Fire Department is unique with its Paramedic status and the level of care they offer. Most people are not aware of the advanced support we all receive in the community. So, we hope our gift will continue to help their efforts for the entire community where we are so fortunate to live in.”
Newport’s Fire Chief Harp Donnelly, IV stated, “The Petrovas family’s generous donation is a substantial investment not only in the City and its Fire Department, but also an investment in the continued delivery the highest quality of care to the City’s residents and guests that require prehospital Emergency Medical treatment and transportation.”
Of all the State of Rhode Island’s full-time paid municipal Fire Departments that provide Emergency Medical Services, Newport’s is one of only two that are licensed to deliver the Paramedic level of care and treatment.
Paramedic level prehospital Emergency Medical licensing is the highest level of licensing possible in the State of Rhode Island. Newport Fire Department elevated the level of its licensing in 2022 from Advanced Emergency Medical care and treatment to the Paramedic level.
The Petrovas family is making this donation public to encourage similar community targeted donations to potentially help support the variety of City Departments, Services and Organizations.
“Many people are just too busy and caught up with the day-to-day activities, that it is challenging to stop and appreciate what we have in terms of support for our health and well-being,” George Petrovas said. “Improvement is always needed, so we encourage people to pick an organization they like to help and call them to offer support in any way possible.”
In thanks for their generosity and commitment to the City, George and Susan Petrovas will be honored by the City Council formally at their Wednesday, Oct. 11th meeting.
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