2023 -- H 5650
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LC001917
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S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N
CONGRATULATING DEREK SILVA ON BEING NAMED THE NEW FIRE CHIEF OF THE
CITY OF PROVIDENCE
Introduced By: Representatives Shekarchi, Blazejewski, DeSimone, Hull, J. Lombardi,
Slater, Biah, Marszalkowski, Diaz, and Batista
Date Introduced: February 16, 2023
Referred To: House read and passed
WHEREAS, Derek Silva, the newly announced Fire Chief of the City of Providence, was 1
born in Providence, and raised in Lincoln. He began his distinguished public service career when 2
he volunteered to serve as a firefighter for the Saylesville Fire District in the Town of Lincoln, a 3
position he held for more than four years; and 4
WHEREAS, Chief Silva joined the Providence Fire Department, the second oldest 5
continuously run fire department in the country, in January of 2007, and thanks to his strong 6
leadership skills, devotion to duty and tireless work ethic, he continuously impressed his 7
superiors and peers, and steadily rose through the ranks; and 8
WHEREAS, In 2017, Mr. Silva was promoted to the rank of Fire Lieutenant, and earned 9
a promotion to Fire Prevention/Arson Captain in 2022, and in May of that year, was promoted to 10
the position of Assistant Chief of the Fire Department which he held until his elevation to the 11
position of Providence Fire Chief; and 12
WHEREAS, Chief Silva, the youngest Fire Chief in the history of the Providence Fire 13
Department, is running a department that receives 45,000 calls a year, with 75 percent of those 14
being emergency services that aren’t fires, particularly incidents of drug overdose. He has already 15
rewritten the outdated Department handbook, the bible for rules and procedures for firefighters, 16
which had last been updated in 1997, before the days of the internet and e-mail. Chief Silva is 17
also focusing on firefighter recruiting for the department which is currently very short-staffed, 18
and is looking for innovative ways to better utilize resources without risking public safety; now, 19
LC001917 - Page 2 of 2
therefore be it 1
RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby 2
congratulates Derek Silva on being named the Fire Chief of the City of Providence and wishes 3
him continued success in all his future endeavors; and be it further 4
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to 5
transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Derek Silva, Chief, Providence Fire 6
Department. 7
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LC001917
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