Photos: Providence Fire Department's new Special Hazards truck

Providence firefighter Dan Rinaldi’s helmet tells the story of his fire company. The helmet, made of case-hardened leather, is crusted over with black soot and burned through in places, having experienced, like him, many multi-alarm fires and rescues over the decades.

The City of Providence took delivery this year of several brand-new pieces of fire apparatus, including what is known as its “heavy rescue” truck, aptly named Special Hazards 1. It is where Rinaldi and other Providence firefighters are assigned. It is a 2021 model, boasting a 500-horsepower engine that enables it to climb the city’s many hills. It is essentially a rolling toolbox, with a four-man crew that can tackle any emergency in Providence. The unit rolls on all major fire and accident calls. In addition, it is equipped with equipment such as the “Jaws of Life” rescue tool, survival suits for cold-water rescues, steel and rubber air bags that can lift the weight of a car, and rescue gear for use in trench collapses. It is assigned to the department’s headquarters station on Washington Street.

— Michael Delaney, director of photography and graphics

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Photos: Providence has a new Special Hazards truck