09/23/2026
Recently, the Watch Hill Fire Department was honored to receive an extraordinarily generous donation from local residents Mr. Christopher and Mrs. Cindy Galvin, whose support funded the purchase of ten state-of-the-art Motorola all-band mobile radios for our fire apparatus. This donation came as a direct result of an interaction with our members during an emergency response, reflecting a meaningful connection between our firefighters and the community we serve. These radios provide seamless communication between our department, neighboring fire, EMS, and law enforcement agencies, as well as regional mutual aid partners across multiple radio systems in both Rhode Island and Connecticut. Reliable communication is one of the most critical tools on any emergency scene, ensuring that responders can safely coordinate operations and deliver the highest level of service to our community.
This donation represents the second phase of our department’s comprehensive radio replacement project. In 2024, thanks to the generous support of the Alfred M. Roberts Foundation and matching funding from the taxpayers of the Watch Hill Fire District, the Department invested over $200,000 to replace the majority of our portable radios. Prior to this effort, we had not completed a portable radio upgrade since 2001. These portable radios are carried by firefighters into burning buildings, on emergency medical calls, along our beaches, and during marine rescues. In many of these dangerous environments, a portable radio serves as a firefighter’s only lifeline to the outside, making dependable communications essential to both firefighter safety and successful emergency operations.
Significant support was also received during the design and programming of these systems from the staff of the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency, who worked closely with our chiefs throughout the process to ensure we had access to the most effective and efficient equipment available.
Because of the remarkable generosity of the Galvin Family, the Alfred M. Roberts Foundation, the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency, and the taxpayers of the Watch Hill Fire District, our firefighters are now equipped with the very best communications technology available. This investment directly enhances the safety of our members and strengthens the quality of service we provide to everyone who lives in and visits Watch Hill.
On behalf of Chief Reall, the Board of Engineers, and every member of the Watch Hill Fire Department, we extend our sincere and heartfelt gratitude to all who helped make this project a reality. Your commitment to public safety is an investment in our firefighters, our community, and every life we are called upon to protect.
