North Providence police, fire departments thank hospital workers with parade
The North Providence police and fire departments saluted healthcare workers Tuesday morning with a parade of sirens outside of the town's hospital.
NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) – The North Providence police and fire departments saluted healthcare workers Tuesday morning with a parade of sirens outside of the town’s hospital.
“We just appreciate everything they’re doing for us. All we can say is thank you,” said North Providence Fire Chief John Silva.
The first responders gathered at the high school, more than 30 of them, and then took off for Our Lady of Fatima Hospital, in a parade led by Mayor Charles Lombardi. The cruisers and trucks circled the hospital, as workers waved from the sidewalks.
“When we do come here on our rescues and through our fire apparatus, on alarms and things like that, we’re in and out, it’s all business. We don’t get a chance to talk to everybody and thank them,” said Local 2334 president Jay Petrillo.
The men and women of the departments didn’t just drive by to say thanks, they also stopped at the emergency department entrance to drop off pizza to employees and much-need personal protective equipment (PPE).
“We dropped off some PPE to them, some masks, some gowns, some goggles. We were fortunate to have somebody donate some, so we figured we’d split it with them 50/50, it’s our partnership,” said Chief Silva.
So with a donation and some noise, the first responders got to show their gratitude to those working the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s a community hospital and this whole thing that we’re going through is all about community,” said Petrillo.
From the hospital, the parade continued on to Golden Crest Nursing Centre in North Providence that’s been hit hard by the pandemic.
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