Thursday, February 7, 2013
Need help during the blizzard? Here's a list of emergency phone numbers to keep handy.
From emergency numbers for National Grid to local emergency response officials, we've compiled a list of emergency phone numbers for North Kingstown during the blizzard. To report a power outage or downed lines, contact National Grid at – 800-465-1212 To report a gas leak, contact National Grid at – 800-465-1595 For immediate police/fire/rescue, call 911. For non-emergency help, call 211. For traffic reports, call 511. For the State Emergency Management Agency, call 401-946-9996. For evacuation routes, click here. Receive text alerts from National Grid by texting STORM to NGRID (64743) Search for outages in your area with National Grid's Outage Map. North Kingstown Police Department – 401-294-3311 (for emergencies) and 401-294-…
A decision that would return NK's firefighters to their former work schedules is being challenged by town officials.
Town officials plan to appeal a decision made by a Superior Court judge that would return North Kingstown firefighters to their former work schedules. According to Town Manager Michael Embury, the town plans to seek of stay for implementation of the order in Supreme Court and then file an appeal. On Wednesday, the town's request for a stay was denied by Superior Court Judge Brian Stern. Earlier this week, Judge Stern ordered the town to overturn an ordinance that mandated 24-hour shifts for firefighters, giving the town until the end of the weekend to implement the order. According to North Kingstown Fire Union President Ray Furtado, both sides are expected to appear in Rhode Island Supreme Court Thursday afternoon for a conference. …
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
A Superior Court judge is ordering the town to restore firefighters' previous hours and salaries by the weekend.
The 24-hour shift for North Kingstown's firefighters may be no more by the end of the weekend. On Monday, Superior Court Judge Brian Stern has ordered town officials to return the North Kingstown Fire Department to its previous hours and salaries by Feb. 11. In January 2012, the North Kingstown Town Council passed an ordinance mandating 24-hour shifts for the town's firefighters, increasing the work week from 42 to 56 hours, eliminating one platoon and decreasing firefighters' hourly wages. The new ordinance was implemented in March 2012 and, since then, the town and fire union (Local 1651) have been embroiled in a series of court battles. Back in December 2012, Judge Stern ordered the town to "unring the bell," stating that the council …
Monday, February 4, 2013
Former Town Councilor Chuck Brennan urges residents to email the current council.
To the editor, What is going on between the Town of North Kingstown and the North Kingstown Fire Department? Relations have been bad for the last year when the Town Council forced the firefighters to work 24 hour shifts but things could have changed for the better this week. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. The first thing that happened was that the Town Council took up the issue of the new fireboat again. Last year the previous council, of which I was a member, took up the issue during several meetings. The fire department obtained a homeland security grant of $830,000 to purchase a new boat. Our council voted to approve the purchase after several meetings and discussion and the boat was ordered. One person emailed the council after …
A tentative contract that would have returned firefighters to their original work schedules.
A contract that would have brought North Kingstown firefighters back to their original work schedules has been shot down unanimously by the North Kingstown Town Council. The council and Local 1651, the North Kingstown firefighters' union, returned to the bargaining table following the ruling of Superior Court Judge Brian Stern, who ordered the town to "unring the bell" and nix the 24-hour shift schedule for the firefighters, back in December. In January 2011, the council approved a new ordinance that moved the fire department from 10- and 14-hour shifts to 24-hour shifts, reduced the number of platoons from four to three and increased the work week from 42 to 56 hours while reducing their hourly pay. According to Stern, the town …
Thursday, January 31, 2013
The purchase of a new fire boat with grant money left some councilors uneasy.
The North Kingstown Fire Department outlined how it plans to spend $832,000 in grants to the Town Council Monday night, including upgrades to equipment, communications and training. One item on the list, however, left some councilors uneasy. The biggest ticket item is a new fire boat, costing $681,000. The new unit would replace the current boat, which is 22 years old. According to the fire department’s marine committee, the service life of that boat is 30 years. This is the first time the department will purchase a new boat in more than 40 years. In recent years, every replacement boat has been donated to the fire department. M2-37 Firefighting System is equipped with advanced life support equipment and is considered a chemical …
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Members of the NK community are coming to help raise money for the family of David Mowbray, who passed away last year.
For most of Captain David Mowbray’s 25-year career with the North Kingstown Fire Department, he served as a rescue captain on one of the district’s ambulances. During that time, he responded to thousands of calls to help those in need throughout the community. This Friday, the community he served for more than two decades is looking to help give back to his family. This past November, Mowbray passed away after an 8-month-long battle with lung cancer at the age of 52, leaving behind his wife Julie and daughters Kimberlee and Michelle. The loss of Mowbray (which came sooner than friends and family expected) just before the holidays was exacerbated by the financial hardships that followed. One of NKFD’s deputy chiefs reached out to the Rhode …
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1515 Ten Rod Rd, North Kingstown, RI
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Tuesday, December 18, 2012
The town council is expected to meet later this week following a ruling from Superior Court.
Town officials and the North Kingstown fire union are expected to return to the bargaining table after a Superior Court judge ruled against an ordinance that implemented at mandatory 24-hour shift for firefighters. On Friday, Superior Court Judge Brian Stern release his 28-page ruling on the ordinance passed in January – which increased the firefighters’ work week from 42 to 56 hours, mandated 24-hour shifts and reduced their hourly pay. Stern ordered the town to “unring the bell” and return to pre-ordinance work schedules and pay. According to Stern, the town violated the town charter and state laws by making these unilateral changes without first negotiating or winning via arbitration. In fact, in 2011 the town's proposal for 24-hour …
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Rescue Captain David Mowbray of the North Kingstown Fire Department passed away Saturday, Nov. 24.
Members of the North Kingstown Fire Department are mourning the loss of one of their own following the passing of Rescue Captain David Mowbray this weekend. Mowbray died Saturday, Nov. 24 at home following an illness. He was 52 years old. Mowbray has served with the NKFD for the past 25 years. He leaves behind his wife Julie (Barlow) Mowbray and daughters Kimberlee and Michelle Mowbray. He was the son of Stephen Jr. and Jean (Sangster) Mowbray. He also leaves behind three siblings – Stephen Mowbray III, Deboray Swallow and Thomas Mowbray. He was a member of the IAFF and was known for his love of sports. Visiting hours will Monday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Thomas & Walter Quinn Funeral Home (2435 Warwick Ave. in Warwick). His funeral …
Friday, November 23, 2012
Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire that destroyed a large home on Potter Road.
Crews are still investigating what caused a huge fire that destroyed a 8,500 sq. ft. home on Potter Road early Friday morning. By the time the first company from the North Kingstown Fire Department arrived at 229 Potter Road shortly before 1 a.m. Friday, about half the house was engulfed in flames. The fire was so large that several other neighboring communities sent crews to assist – including East Greenwich, Narragansett, Warwick, Warwick, Exeter and Jamestown. At the peak of the battle, about 40 firefighters were on scene, according to North Kingstown Fire Chief Fenwick Gardiner. One NK firefighter was sent to the hospital with chest pains. It was later found that he had suffered a minor heart attack while fighting the fire. The …
I'm Tired of the Games
12:03 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
NK_Voter: Yes, everyone has the right to appeal. Heck, even Craig Price has that right. Your statements are sounding like you are becoming resigned to the fact that the TC violated the law. Taxpayers are on the hook either way. Too bad the TC which was elected can't follow the law and thus cost taxpayers money. more ›