Join RIAFAS

Have you ever stopped what you were doing to admire an old fire engine driving by, or how excited the kids get about the big red engine with the shiny chrome and flashing lights? Wether you are young or old, fire trucks hold a special place in our hearts.

The Rhode Island Antique Fire Apparatus Society, Inc. (RIAFAS), is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization which was formed in May of 2004. Our main goal is to promote and foster a spirit of friendliness and cooperation among it’s members who are dedicated to preserving and displaying the history of vintage firefighting apparatus and equipment. RIAFAS members display their antique apparatus in parades, meets, and musters, while aiding each other in the rehabilitation of vintage fire equipment. We institute and present fire prevention and educational displays to the public, maintain association meeting facilities, and we are the only SPAAMFAA chapter in Rhode Island.

SPAAMFAA is the acronym for The Society for the Preservation and Appreciation of Antique Motor Fire Apparatus in America. Founded in New York in 1958, SPAAMFAA is an organization dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and operation of antique fire fighting apparatus. Currently it has grown to 56 chapters nationwide and in Canada, with a worldwide membership in excess of 3,800. It is an international, non-profit organization registered with the New York Stae Board of Regents.

SPAAMFAA regional chapters sponsor many musters and other activities each year. The society’s two publications include an illustrated quarterly magazine called “Enjine! Enjine!” as well as “The Silver Trumpet” newsletter for Inter-Chapter News. The Silver Trumpet contains restoration tips, sources for parts, muster ideas, new books published about antique apparatus, plus a calendar of all musters, pump-ins, and other events. Also included are the yearly locations for the National Summer and Winter conventions.

RIAFAS members are a special group of firefighting enthusiasts who enjoy getting together to talk about antique fire apparatus, history and tradition. RIAFAS is open to all individuals; you do not even need to own an antique fire engine, live in Rhode Island, or have a SPAAMFAA membership to join. To hold office in the chapter, you must obtain a SPAAMFAA National membership.

If you would like to learn more about the history of antique fire apparatus, we encourage you to join. RIAFAS meets the 2nd Monday of every month at the Providence Canteen Headquarters, 100 Minnesota Avenue, Warwick, RI at 7:00 pm.

An application to join RIAFAS can be downloaded here.

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