Cranston’s first fire chief was Daniel F. Young, appointed to the position on December 20, 1920, after having served for ten years at the chief of the Pocasset Volunteers. Chief Young passed away in 1940, and was succeeded by his son, William, who was appointed chief in November of 1940.
Like his father, Chief William Young began his long career as a volunteer with the Pocasset Fire Company, which later became the Meshanticut Park Volunteer Fire Company. He joined the city fire department in April of 1923, and was promoted to lieutenant thirteen months later. In September of 1927 he was promoted to captain.
During his tenure as chief, the fire department grew by 25%. The department also adopted the “Cambridge System” of shorter working hours, and the first Cranston firemen’s training school was instituted.
Chief Young remained head of the department until his unexpected passing in January of 1953. Mayor Horton then designated Deputy Chief Norman D. Broden to be acting chief. Broden was officially promoted to Chief the following month.
Chief Broden was a 25-year veteran and had been a Deputy Chief since 1946.
In March of 1954 a third Deputy Chief’s position was created within the fire department, and Captain Harold W. Swanson, a 26-year-veteran, was promoted. The new position was created to ensure that a deputy chief would be on duty at all times.
Deputy Chief Swanson retired in July of 1965 after serving for 38 years.
In March of 1955 Chief Broden announced that Cranston’s new radio system was now operational, with a newly installed radio tower and base station placed at the Pontiac Avenue station. Along with stationary radios on fire apparatus, firefighters would also carry walkie-talkies.
Also tied in with the new system were two pumpers stationed at the Firskeville volunteer fire station as part of a civil defense plan.
The system was financed through a $13,000 matching grant from the city and federal government.
On August 4, 1965, 65-year-old Deputy Chief Holman was promoted to Chief of the department, thereby replacing Chief Norman D. Broden who’d recently retired. Promoted to deputy Chief was Captain Thomas J. Powers, Jr.
Chief Holman began his career at the age of 18 with the Pawtuxet Volunteer Fire Company. In 1921 he was appointed to the Cranston Fire Department, but resigned in 1924 to join the Providence Fire department. In 1937 he re-joined the Cranston Fire Department, and was promoted to Lieutenant in 1944; captain in 1946; and deputy chief in 1951.
Chief Holman was compelled to resign a few months later when the city adopted a mandatory retirement age of 62 for all firefighters.
Chief Holman was replaced by Chief Clarence Coppolelli, who was also compelled to retire when he turned age 62. Chief Coppolelli was a 39-year veteran of the department. He’d joined the department on January 15, 1927; was promoted to lieutenant in 1944; to captain in 1950; and deputy chief in 1953.
Chief Coppolelli was followed by Thomas J. Powers, Jr., (age 50), on January 10, 1966, thus becoming the third chief of the department within a year.
Chief Powers was appointed the CFD on August 1, 1939. He was later promoted to lieutenant in 1950; to captain in 1952; and to deputy chief in 1959.
In 1966, Cranston firemen worked a 56-hour week.
In October of 1971, it was established through collective bargaining that Cranston’s firemen would work a 42-hour work week. Each firefighter would work two days, two nights, followed by four days off.
In February of 1975, Deputy Chief William H. Maine, a 25-year veteran, was promoted to Chief. He retired about eighteen months later in July of 1976. Deputy Chief Ronald S. Jones was appointed by Mayor Taft as his temporary replacement. The annual salary for a Cranston FD Deputy Chief was $18,600.
On August 7, 1986, Lester E. Williams, Jr., was appointed Chief of the department. Chief Williams joined the department on April 1, 1957. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1967; to Captain in 1972, and Deputy Chief in 1975. He was promoted to Assistant Chief in 1984, and became Acting Chief on April 16, 1986, before being elevated to Chief four months later.